Last night I watched an hour long documentary on Veganism. The producer challenged three New York City residents to take on becoming vegans for six weeks. As I watched it, I began to remember why I make some of the choices I do and I was challenged to further consider adopting even better eating habits.
This was not the first such documentary I have watched. I have seen Forks Over Knives, Food, Inc. and many similarly-themed videos and TED talks. We have long tried to purchase ethical food, organic fruit and vegetables and non-medicated, free range meat. We rarely eat red meat, and since Kai's birth, we definitely have taken strides to eat more balanced, vegetable-inclusive meals. Do I occasionally still get tempted by the great bargain meat at Costco? Absolutely. Do I still enjoy dairy in all its forms? Yes. However, Vegucated has made me reevaluate these choices. Do we need dairy in our diets? I still need to see the research. Are copious amounts of soy-based products to replace meat and dairy healthy? Again, need to check into this. I want to make conscious choices and I appreciated the brain-rattling that documentaries give me.
Many things these days seem out of our control. From the installation of new Smart meters to the 'cleanliness' of the air we breathe, our environment is affected by each and every one of our decisions. We do many little actions on a daily basis that help or harm our surroundings. In becoming more aware of my actions, I will continue to strive to understand the effect of our food on our bodies, animals, and the environment step by step and continue to slowly make positive changes to my habits. Do I always make the perfect choice? Absolutely not, but I do my best with the knowledge and tools I have.