this month, it will be one year since my husband and i became a couple of veg-headed vegans. i know it can be a controversial issue, and so i encourage you to read the reasons on why we decided to make the switch in the first place. today though, i only want to share with you why it's been the best decision of our lives. the results that we've experienced from the change is undeniable. tomorrow, i plan to share with you why i believe it is also incredibly easy. stay tuned!

you can read the reasons why we decided to become vegan, but in short, here's our story. we decided to be vegetarians about 7 years ago, a decision we made in efforts to avoid the antibiotics and hormones found in meat, for promised health benefits, and to do something to alleviate the horrid practices of factory farming and environmental distress. several years later, we realized that we were relying heavily on cheese, milk and eggs, especially when we ate out. in our case, that meant that about 90% of the dairy we were consuming was not organic and came from who knew where. there we were, still eating antibiotics and hormones, being unhealthy and supporting the factory farming business of dairy cows and laying hens (which are absolutely terrifying, ask if you want more info!). so we made the switch, here's why it was the best decision i ever made!

just to clarify, we don't take supplements and don't believe you should need to. we eat a well-rounded, balanced diet full of incredibly tasty and nutritious things

1) i haven't gotten sick now for the longest period of my life. it's been one year with no sickness, woo hoo!
2) i feel better than ever. my energy is up and my eyes are bright.
3) i'm more eager to wake up and get going in the morning. seriously! i have felt a decrease in my 'sluggishness'.
4) i'm more focused. i have found a noticeable difference in how focused i am and how much more productive as well.
5) my skin has finally cleared up, completely. i'm off all of the creams my dermatologist had me on and use no particularly special routine for my skin for the first time in my life.
6) my fitness has improved. i feel better when i run and have seen quicker results in my endurance than ever.
7) my body odor has decreased. not sure how to explain this one, but it's true. better breath and no need for deodorant.
8) my nails and hair have gotten stronger and prettier.
9) i have a sense of responsibility about my lifestyle. like i'm making a difference in my health, my future health and the health of our planet.
10) i've lost weight. not much, but 7-8 pounds, effortlessly.
11) i love cooking vegan! no spoiled dairy, no germy meat. i haven't had to disinfect my kitchen in a very long time.
12) my digestion is better and noticeably healthier than it was before.
13) i love being a part of the community. it's (mostly) filled with inspiring, supportive and truly lovely people.
14) i have less headaches. i used to get frequent headaches and occasional migraines, and haven't had hardly any at all this year.
15) as soon as we cut out all the fillers (meat, cheese, eggs) our diet expanded tremendously. there are so many grains, beans, fruits, veggies, nuts, sea veggies and seeds that we never had tried before!
16) my allergies have gotten better. again i can't really explain this but studies agree that cutting out dairy and meat can help alleviate allergy symptoms.
17) we save money. we don't waste as much money on eating out (though it is easy to eat out if we want, i'll tell you why tomorrow!). and we don't buy as many snacks and unhealthy filler foods at the store.
18) reduced PMS symptoms. something about eliminating dairy does this!
19) i'm not as sleepy in the afternoons. i haven't felt the need for an afternoon nap in months and months.
20) we've increased our awareness of the foods we put into our body. each food makes us feel a certain way, and we've become much more aware of it.

i will say that many of these benefits weren't noticeable right away. it's something you have to stick with. i lost the weight after 6 months, my skin cleared up after 10 months. but, i started feeling better almost instantly. give it a try, but be prepared to stick with it for amazing health benefits down the road.

tomorrow i plan to share with you why i also believe that it's incredibly easy. stay tuned!

gotta question? comment? are you a vegan? do you have any benefits you've experienced? please share them with us in the comments section! i'll 'meat' you there. :)