I think that most bloggers will agree that there is something momentous… or ominous… about the first post of a new blog. As if that first post has unrestricted control over its perpetuation or extinction.

So what does one write about in the first of a blog about being vegan?

Right. Being vegan. I know, I know, but more specifically.

Okay. How about I explain why I am vegan.

Here’s my story:

I grew up on the standard American diet. And I don’t just mean the regular standard American diet, either. I’m talking about the “My grandmother grew up in the hills of Kentucky, and my father’s a poor laborer” standard American diet.

Now, I was fortunate enough to have inherited “skinny” genes; however, this did not bar me from developing severe hypoglycemia by age fourteen.

I spent the next seven years of my life battling severe headaches and chronic fatigue. I won’t even mention my lack of ability to focus on anything. It never occured to me that my diet was the contributing factor in my suffering…

…until July of 2004. It was then that I met the man who would later become my husband. He was wonderful! Charming, stable, intelligent, and… vegetarian? No way, honey! I’m not giving up my crablegs!

*I would like to take a brief intermission to explain that I am totally ashamed that I ever ingested the legs of a creature who eats feces off of the ocean floor.

Fortunately, his charm got the better of me. As we spoke more frequently, I began noticing the differences in our lifestyles. He wasn’t affected by a lack of sleep nearly as much as I. He never felt like sleeping the rest of the day after a meal. I was determined to find out why. Of course, my then future husband was of tremendous assistance.

The investigation began with the Bible. Considering that R (my husband) had always been vegetarian for religious reasons, this wasn’t a long drawn out process, but a simple question and answer session.

It is clear that God intended for man to eat vegetation, not animal flesh. Genesis 1:29 talks about how God gave man “every herb bearing seed” and “every fruit of a tree yielding see” as “meat.” (Sounds vegan to me…) Notice that in this verse “meat” does not refer to animal flesh.

In addition, I don’t think that it gets much clearer than, “Thou shalt not kill.” It is impossible for me to believe that taking the life of an innocent animal was every part of God’s plan.

So throw that in the pot with a couple of month’s worth of research about growth hormones, slaughter houses, and chicken cages, and you’ve got yourself two vegans.

Not just vegetarians, mind you. Vegans. Eaters of mostly raw food. No animal products.

Needless to say, I no longer have headaches, chronic fatigue, or hypoglycemia.

I’m interested in hearing why you are vegan. Or not vegan. Or hate vegans.

If you have a story, send it to: stories@happyvegan.net

Thanks,