My Plant-Based Journey

I realised that my connection to plant-based foods goes way back, actually long before I was born….

I’ve decided to dedicate this part of my site to all things plant-based eating, as this is an important part of my lifestyle. So, if you are interested in plant-based foods or looking for some plant-powered inspiration then this section is for you.

I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off this section than to share my very own plant-based journey. My journey to getting to the way that I eat today, whole food plant-based, has been quite long and stretched out with a successive transition over time. There are many reasons as to why I started eating this way; initially, it was for health reasons related to the constant stomach pain and issues that I had. This led to a curiosity about the best foods for my body that would make me feel better and energized. Over time I started learning more about the impact of animal foods on the environment and the food industry so showing compassion for animals became more important.

Genesis

I’ve been reflecting on how and exactly when I started experimenting with plant-based foods and in my ruminations, I realised that my connection to plant-based foods goes way back, actually long before I was born. I’m Eritrean, my family belong to the Orthodox Christian faith and it is through the faith that I first came into contact with plant-based/vegan food. In the Orthodox (Eritrean, Ethiopian) faith there are 180 mandatory vegan fasting days a year and up to 252 fasting days for the particularly observant. Eritrean cuisine is therefore actually quite vegan-friendly. So, the concept of foods free from animal products is something that is engrained into my culture and therefore feels quite natural to me.

I was in Eritrea for 4 weeks last year and it was really easy food-wise, as my family there we’re doing a month-long religious fast so I just ate exactly like them for the whole stay. We ate a lot of teff injera, lentils, broad beans, chickpeas, leafy greens, dates, papaya, mango and more (all locally grown). The food was beyond satisfying and nurturing. Having this anchor to plant-based foods through my culture just adds to my commitment to keep this lifestyle.

I actively started fasting for lent about 15 years ago, which is a 55-day fast where you abstain from all animal products for a period up until Easter according to the Orthodox calendar. I did this fast a handful of times as a teenager with my brothers and I quite enjoyed it. What stands out the most for me is that I remember enjoying the feeling of abstaining from something, which in a way is interwoven with the spiritual element of a fast.

“I now realise that I’ve had many aha-moments when it comes to consuming animal products over the years, the main one being that after doing the fast for lent I realised that I simply didn’t like meat.”

I now realise that I’ve had many aha-moments when it comes to consuming animal products over the years, the main one being that after doing the fast for lent I realised that I simply didn’t like meat. Deep down I always knew that I never really liked or enjoyed meat but just ate it because that is what was available and what was served at home and in school.

The second aha-moment that inspired real behaviour change for me was when going to Eritrea in 2003 for the summer and finding out from my aunt that eating pork is not part of the Orthodox faith. I was barely eating pork at this point but after learning this I dropped it completely as well as red meat. It was the perfectly legitimate reason for me to quit these foods and admit that I didn’t like the taste of meat and could happily live without. I was far from having a conscious awareness about plant-based foods as a way of life at this point; I just followed my gut about genuinely not liking meat. I dabbled with chicken and fish for a while simply because I “needed protein” and really wanted to lose weight (which is story for another time). I kept adding these lean meats to my diet but wasn’t really enthusiastic about it and did everything I could to mask the taste of the meat which started to bother me more and more.

The next I stopped consuming was dairy milk, this was around 2005. I replaced dairy with soy and then eventually almond milk and never looked back. This really helped me with my stomach cramps, constant gas and bloating that I had just gotten used to.  My stomach problems reduced dramatically after quitting milk. Cheese was definitely the hardest for me to part ways with, I now know that this is because cheese is addictive due to the casein and how it interacts with the dopamine receptors in our brains and triggers that addictive element.

The next aha moment for me was game-changing, I read Eating Animals by Jonathan Safron Foer around 2010. This book really contextualised my meat consumption against the whole factory farming industry and the insane and inhumane practices that produce very questionable animal products for our consumption. The book convinced me to really consider the ethical reasoning behind reducing/limiting/removing animal products from my diet. I’m very grateful for the perspectives I gained from the book, it really helped me understand that a lot of what we call food is produced under very questionable circumstances, causing unnecessary animal suffering, using a lot of chemicals that are directly harmful to us and disrupting our planet through emitting incredible levels of pollution.

Since reading Eating Animals I just kept adding more plant-based foods to replace things like eggs, milk, butter, meat with plant-based options that would satisfy me and keep me on this lifestyle long term. It’s been a journey of learning my own body and health, learning to cook with new ingredients and a journey of increasing compassion towards the planets and animals. It’s taken me a while to get here but is been a really fun and rewarding journey, mostly because it has really helped me to improve my health which I’ll write more about here soon.

Where I am at Today

I think that my slow progression into plant-based eating has ensured that it’s a sustainable change for me. I’ve taken the time to learn, educate myself, to listen to my body.  Today, I pretty much eat a wholefoods plant-based diet with a lot of focus on fresh vegetables, fruits and healthy grains/nuts/seeds. I feel really healthy, balanced and most of all satisfied on this diet. I have been able to get stronger and stronger in the gym and I’m now able to lift heavier than I ever did through plant-powered foods only.

I’m at a point where this is simply my lifestyle now and I really enjoy experimenting with plant-based foods. It’s also a huge bonus for me that I know that I’m having a small positive impact on the environment through choosing plant-based foods and therefore reducing my footprint on this beautiful planet.

Plant-based eating is a lifestyle for me and not an ideology, so the information I share here is for everyone alike not just for those who follow a fully plant-based diet. I absolutely believe in the power of reducing animal products in our diet as well. By reducing our consumption of animal products we are still having a positive impact on our own health and it’s a great way to contribute towards slowing down global warming. You can read more about the reductarian movement here. We don’t need to have an all or nothing attitude, just add a plant-based meal here and there, give it a try and see how you go.

Conclusion

Stay informed about food in general and how food is produced.

Focus on plant-based whole foods such as fruits/vegetables/nuts/seeds/grains.

Add plant-based foods rather than removing key/items staples.

Progression over time can be more sustainable than an overnight change.

No perfectionism, just keep making smaller choices/changes daily.

Resources

If I’ve sparked your curiosity then please check out these resources below that have been helpful to me in my journey:

Eating Animals –Book

Omnivore’s Dilemma - Book

Food Inc- Documentary

Game Changers – Documentary

Forks Over Knives - Documentary

XO

Ruthie