Vegan Curious 💭

Let’s chat…….

Late February in preparation for Lent I decided to give up cheese 👀. It was a surprisingly difficult choice as cheese and I had a delicous partnership. I am the Queen of one-pot meals. they are my jam. Cheese was that ooey-goey goodness I could count on to bring the meal together. Oh was I wrong…

In hindsight, I realize I leaned too heavily on cheese for flavor, instead of doing the harder work with herbs and spices.

Interestingly, this choice led to an overall decrease in dairy once I started noticing how much my eczema improved. 😳

I also started seeing other really incredible positives from taking this step. It was not that difficult to eat out either. I just had to be wayyy more mindful of the menu before we went.

Keep in mind, these were the areas I personally saw improvement. Not a guarantee for everyone, but a tangible experience for me:

Less bloating
Improved overall skin clarity
Reduced puffiness or swelling
Reduced overall calorie intake
Helped with portion control
Chose whole, less processed foods

Let me state the fact… I am not vegan. I made some dietary changes that aligned a bit more with veganism… but I do not aspire to that label.

I can say, some of what they say is true. My experience was very real, and somewhat quickly noticed once I started.

What is Vegan vs Flexitarian?

🌱 Vegan

A vegan diet (and lifestyle) avoids all animal products.

What they do eat:

Fruits, vegetables
Grains (rice, oats, quinoa)
Beans, lentils
Nuts and seeds
Plant-based alternatives

🌿 Flexitarian

A flexitarian is mostly plant-based but occasionally eats animal products.

What that looks like:

🥗 Primarily vegetarian meals
🍗 Meat, dairy, or eggs sometimes (not daily)
Focus on balance, not restriction

Personally, I consider myself Flexitarian and I prioritize plants but not in a liming or labeling way.

I believe very much in Health at Every Size!

If you want to read more about this concept, check out this previous post 👇🏾:

Health At Every Size Movement (HAES): Let’s Talk About It

So…. will I “re-entry” cheese back in my diet now that Easter is over?

Maybe…. for now the jury is out.

I’m still really enjoying the benefits I mentioned above. Particularly, better digestion has been very real.

I also love how much more mindful this exercise made me be in cooking and eating. I had to think twice about dishes I traditionally cooked leaning on cheese as a flavor.

Honestly, that is what led me to begin working more closely on my steaming technique for fish… Now THAT’s a wonderful side effect. I will definitely cover the joy of flavorful steamed fish very soon in a future blog post.

If I do return cheese to my diet it will be in moderation, I realize how easy it is to overdo it quickly. Now for those that know me hold tight. If you see me steal a cheese fry from your plate don’t judge me 😅.

Remember in MODERATION! 😉

Resources That Helped Me During this Time:

Although I found the recipes in this book a bit over-much at times, she offers really sage advice on what to look out for in “vegan” alternatives that truly are junk food.

The recipes in this book were a bit more up my speed, but keep in mind they are not vegan. She does have many plant forward recipes I was able to try out. You also can pretty easily find these books at your local library in the cookbook section.

I am not a Vegan Influencer, so I did not go deep on this way of life (I stay in my lane).

However, I did watch videos from this Creator to learn more from someone who does practice this way of eating:

Sweet Potato Soul

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbmUfoOfNW04K9U7moSDDcw

Ok Phew! I feel like if your interested in this journey you’ve got all the resources to get there!

Happy Eating!

Health is a journey, not a destination…

Dr. Judith Davis is the author of 7 Whispers from My Heart to Yours –a soulful reflection on what a year of pursuing whole-person wellness really taught her: mind, body, and spirit.

This isn’t just a book—it’s a journey through seven dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, social, environmental, career, intellectual, and spiritual.

If you’re ready to pause, reflect, and whisper back to your own heart… this one’s for you.

Grab your copy on Amazon 👇🏾

https://a.co/d/0cOhyzMv

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