Before I start, let me first say that this blog is a reflection of what I’ve learned over the years. It’s an inherent truth to myself; one that I personally feel obliged to. This blog is merely one individuals perspective on a very complex subject. Take what you read and come to your own conclusion.

In the last year or so, veganism has become a marketing tactic. We must be weary and not allow ourselves to be so and easily persuaded. Not everything with a vegan label is healthy. The sole purpose of becoming vegan should be to consume a whole food, plant based diet. If you want to follow the crowd, become vegan and eat processed foods and meat/dairy alternatives, you’re not going to see an improvement. Purchasing everything marked as vegan in a grocery store is not beneficial for the health of our mind or body. Sure, we all love having our non-dairy sour cream alongside soy chorizo tacos every once in a while, but it’s not sustainable. It can’t be eaten everyday. Imitation meat and dairy is a ‘treat’ and should be consumed in moderation. What should be consumed by vegans is whole foods – vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts and grains. When we say ‘whole food’ we mean foods that come from the ground, grown in (hopefully) healthy soil – not processed. You won’t find a pop-tart or a hot pocket growing outside in the garden. What you’ll find is bok choy, tatsoi, kale, mustard greens, micro greens, radishes, squash, beans, tomatoes and whatever else you may fancy!

Consuming meat is not what’s bad… what’s bad is factory farmed meat. What’s bad is eating meat everyday. Consuming meat once or twice a month from a local farm who uphold themselves to honest practices is beneficial for the mind and body. This is why veganism (to me) is debatable. The average American eats (questionable) meat roughly twice to three times a day. It may sound preposterous but imagine this for yourself: a breakfast burrito in the morning containing eggs and sausage, chick-fil-a for lunch and when it comes time for dinner – chicken, a baked potato and asparagus. Not so far-fetched, eh? It’s more common than not. With that being said, our goal doesn’t need to be strictly vegan. Set realistic goals for yourself. If veganism sounds too rigorous for you, start slow and set a short-term goal. If you tell yourself to not consume meat for four days and complete the task, you will feel more confident moving forward. You don’t need to eliminate meat and dairy over night. It’s not that easy and typically does not happen that way.

Lastly, people choose to become vegan or vegetarian for various reasons. One thing that seems to be taking over the airwaves is how inhumanly animals are being treated. We’re all sensitive when it comes to animals – near and far. Animals all over the world are being treated with sickening violence so that we are able to consume nearly 220+ lbs of meat a year, per individual! YUCK 🤢 However, the Bible tells us to have dominion over the creatures of the earth.

The vegan police will get me for saying this but personally, I do not find it inappropriate or inhumane to consume parts of an animal. I do believe wholeheartedly that animals should be taken care of – fed wholesome food, live a happy life and have ample space to roam. Most vegans would say that if an animal is killed for human consumption, then technically the animal is not being taken care of and I do also respect that standpoint.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

Something I came across – “When God gave humanity dominion over the animals, it was in order to care for, tend to, and use those animals to their fullest potential in a just manner. At the time that God gave mankind dominion over the animals, humans did not eat meat (Genesis 1:29). Eating meat did not begin until after the Flood (Genesis 9:1–3), and it was at that time that animals started to fear humans.” – author unknown

To sum this up and perhaps to make this information a bit more digestible, my diet consists of mostly vegetables (many dark greens), fruits, seeds, nuts and grain. I make it a point to eat meat from a local farm not far from the city of Richmond once a month. I do not consume dairy 90% of the time.

If you would like help making the transition into vegetarian or veganism I would love to be of assistance.

As always – be mindful. be smart. know yourself. trust your instincts.

Much love,

The Gypsea Soul