One question I get asked a lot by people is, “How do you feel?” referring to my plant-based diet. It usually takes me a couple of seconds to gather my thoughts and try to put into words the roller coaster I’ve been on over the past four months, and before answering I will usually ask myself how crazy can I sound without this person thinking that I’ve completely lost my marbles…
I originally made the decision to go plant-based out of pure selfishness: I wanted to be healthier and I wanted better control of my diabetes. I never even thought of the impact that plant-based diets had on the environment and on our non-human friends (animals). It was a ‘me, myself and I’ kind of move. Slowly, as I got to learn more about vegetarianism and veganism, I realized the weight of my decision on the world around me. And then things really changed…
At the risk of sounding a little looney, here it goes: everything in my life was different. My dog was the most amazing non-human I ever met, the trees were greener and spiders turned into friendly house guests. I started reading about spirituality and personal vibrations and frequencies. I started doing yoga and meditating. My driving changed. My morning commute to work wasn’t the worst part of my day. I practiced being less reactive and more patient, and trying to understand other people’s reactive and impatient behaviours from their perspective. I smiled at random strangers.
How does all this fit together, you may ask? I’m not too sure. My theory: the simple act of not eating death anymore makes me feel more alive. Aside from the health, the diabetes, the thyroid problems… I feel like I’m supposed to be here. For the first time in my life, I realized what a blessing it was for me to have diabetes. If I were not diagnosed with diabetes, I would probably not have ever considered using food as medicine and becoming so passionate about nutrition. This disease makes me me. It reminds me that every waking moment of my life is a moment where I can improve upon myself, and live a long and healthy life, diabetes and all, with proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits. I feel like I was supposed to be like this so that I can contribute whatever knowledge I may have with those around me, and encourage them to also come alive.
Can you see now how this snowballed into a sort of existential epiphany for me? It’s like everything finally made sense. My purpose for being here was made clear and now I have to work with that. Over the past couple of months, I’ve been more open to the signs and clues around me, leading me towards different paths. I’ve never felt more engaged with the world around me. I trust the path that is before me…
And that is the answer I wish I could give people who ask me how I “feel” now that I ditched animal products. Re-reading this, I giggled a little because I really do sound a little New Age-y, but I mean every word. Eating a whole foods, plant-based diet does a body good, inside and out, but if you let it pull at your heart strings a little, and allow it to get into your head, it changes more than just your blood pressure numbers, or your dress size.
So… how do I feel? I feel like a real, living and breathing human being, walking upon a beautiful, vibrant earth. I believe that I am being led towards a life of true purpose and meaning. And with each breath, each day, I become one with this planet. I was meant to be here.
Happy living, my herbivore friends. Thanks for reading and being here.
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The Plant-Based Diabetic 