As I was reviewing my year before Rosh HaShana, and thinking about the things I'd like to change in the coming year, after years of hemming and hawing, and wanting to take this step towards maximum health, I finally had the courage and the will to commit to eating a plant-based diet for one year. Yes, for one year I will not eat meat, chicken, fish, dairy of any kind or eggs! I have eaten a modified version of this before, and have gone for months without milk products, so it really isn't such a huge leap, but that doesn't mean that it is easy, especially since my whole family will continue to eat our regular carnivorous fare, and I will be cooking it for them!
Yes, a plant-based diet could be described as a vegan diet, though the roots of the vegan movement are really coming from a place of human kindness towards animals, and a person who is truly "vegan" will generally refrain from wearing leather, using down pillows, or wearing anything wool. From a dietary standpoint, vegans seem to be generally less concerned about the detriments of sugar, white flour and oil, than those who commit to a plant based diet.
I was thinking of starting another blog for this topic of plant-based eating though I think for the time being I'm going to write about it here. After all, I have two other craft blogs that I've been planning on launching, so first things first!I am using this blog as a way to keep myself accountable to my commitment, which also includes avoiding wheat as much as possible, and therefore keeping the diet much more vegetable and bean oriented as opposed to grain oriented. If I mess up or stray from the diet for any reason, I will fess up, right here on the blog.
I am now on day 25 of this new way of life, and I must say that I am feeling so much better than I was a month ago, and while it is generally very hard for me to resist all the cakes and baked goods we are making for the holiday, because they include eggs they are now off limits which just takes away the temptation all together!
Wishing you all good health in the coming year. Will I be eating meat after this year is over? I really have no idea, time will tell! I must run to continue my preparations for shabbat and the upcoming holiday of Succot on Sunday night, which now includes cooking up a pot of beans for myself, and maybe some red lentil soup as well. And I truly couldn't be happier about it!
