Becoming a vegan came with tradeoffs. It was to be expected. When you undertake a decision not aligned with common social norms and expectations, you can expect some pain.

Going out to eat is never easy. The dishes on the menu can be limited and may involve a discussion with the server. It is either ordering the sole vegan option or taking an existing vegetarian dish and modifying it by holding the cheese. Occasionally, when there was no option, we made exceptions by ordering the vegetarian dish or just some sides. This was rare but very unpleasant.

The rest of my family would choose a vegetarian meal or a fish dish when they went out and didn’t find suitable options. I remained more disciplined unless the tradeoff meant starvation. I learned to bring an apple or an orange as insurance or eat a little before going out when I knew I was up against limited or impossible choices.

Being invited as a guest for meals was not easy either. Our choices were always limited and we would pick items from the various dishes to sustain ourselves. Not to mention, it also created angst for the hosts for having to ensure that we were not left unsatisfied.

Fortunately, we rarely went to restaurants and figured out which ones offered us options when on the go. We also always brought a main dish to house parties so we knew we wouldn’t go hungry. We also brought dessert so we didn’t feel left out after the meal.

I may have painted a fairly grim picture but don’t be discouraged if you are contemplating going vegan. There is also an upside to being vegan. Remember, if you cook most of your meals at home, you are not only in control of what you eat but tend to eat healthier. If you let the host know of your food choices in advance, sometimes you will be surprised by their ingenuity. We have had situations, where the hosts relished in making special tasty, vegetable-rich dishes to help us feel welcome. In our experience, working with the restaurant chef or party host to create a simple but nutritionally rich dish for the occasion is almost always helpful. The chefs are always eager to show their talents and rarely disappoint us. We end up feeling very special on such occasions.

Grocery stores and restaurants have started to increasingly cater to the number of people seeking plant-based options. There is a variety of alternate fortified milk options now available. We tend to get soy and oat milk for breakfast and cooking purposes. There are vegan substitutes available for anything you love to eat regularly. If you cannot give up the texture and taste of the meat, there are numerous tasty meat substitutes. Whether it be eggs, mayonnaise, burgers, fish, or beef, the plant-based industry has offered an increasing number of alternatives each year.

We make homemade burgers using plant-based alternatives such as hearts of palm, beets, and lentils. Additionally, there are plenty of brands that offer meat and egg substitutes. We also enjoy lentil lasagna! I make cheeseless pizza. Did you know that the classic authentic Italian pizza is a margherita pizza which has no cheese? We make cakes with applesauce, oat milk, and egg substitutes. We enjoy coconut ice cream with various flavors. Our vegan recipe repertoire has grown incredibly with ideas from different cultures. Note that the internet is full of wonderful ideas for recipes, new and old.

I have been vegan now for 6 years along with my family. One of the first things I have noticed is that we do not get sick as often as we used to. Common colds and winter-related ailments have all but disappeared. If we do get sick, recovery is quite fast.

I also recover from physical stress on my muscles in a shorter time. I no longer am soar for days after playing soccer. I usually recuperate within a day and that was not the case for me before my metamorphosis.

I have also lost some weight permanently. That was never my goal as I was never overweight but it is nice to be 15 pounds lighter than I always was. With a vegan diet, I get plenty of fiber which keeps me very regular, something not to be taken lightly. I have plenty of energy. I have noticed that my skin tone has also materially improved. Again, I wasn’t interested in cosmetic changes but these benefits came as a bonus.

The long-term health benefits, the reason I decided to go vegan of course, cannot not be measured at this time. I will have to wait until my golden years to be the judge of that. However, having seen others who have gone through this journey and are living a healthy, disease-free life well into their senior years, I am very optimistic. I continue to stay active, energetic, and healthy in the present. I am proud of my lifestyle. I am also proud that my family came along on this journey with me.

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