The vegan lifestyle is not always easy

By Gloria Stovall

There is no doubt the vegan lifestyle is one that can be appreciated as it requires dedication, determination, sacrifice and a strong mind.   The fact of the matter is being a vegan is not as easy as flying a kite or as glamorous as Hollywood makes make it out to be, at least not at the beginning. For example, when you go out to eat with friends and family, and you are the only vegan in the group; which is usually the case, ordering food can be quite frustrating depending on which restaurant you are dining.  The majority of the items on the menu, with the exception of most salads, are not vegan friendly; and you are left with no choice but to order a cup of fresh fruit, salad, steamed vegetables-without butter of course, or fries, as long as they are not cross contaminated with animal fat.  The good news is you will eventually get accustomed to eating out; but may occasionally feel the sense of dread knowing your food options on the menu, will be limited.    

The vegan lifestyle is not solely about eating vegan food but also encompasses the products you buy-have they been tested on animals, were the products made from animals?  Are the products environmentally friendly? These are the questions vegans must constantly ponder when making potential purchases.   At the beginning of my vegan journey, I was not always focused on buying clothing, cosmetics and household products that were not made from animals as I thought being a vegan was mostly about eating food products that did not come from animals; but as I acquired more knowledge about the vegan lifestyle, I discerned all products I purchased should be cruelty-free.  At the present time, there are countless faux replacements for leather, fur, alligator skin, snake skin; and down feathers, which makes it less complicated for the vegan to go shopping.

One of the most difficult challenges about living the vegan lifestyle is avoiding products containing palm oil, which is used in food products, detergents, cosmetics and shampoos-thus generating billions of dollars.  Palm oil is the oil that is derived from the fruit and kernels of oil palm trees; and is only grown in the tropics where the rainforests are located.  Hundreds of thousands of rainforest acres are torn down for palm oil crops to be planted and grown, thus wiping out animal and plant species.  The extensive clearing of rainforests for palm oil has devastated the orangutan, elephant, tiger and rhino population so significantly; these beautiful animals now face extinction in the near future.  Due to the catastrophic effects of palm oil, companies are now manufacturing their products using “certified sustainable” palm oil, which is produced in an environmentally responsible way.  Vegans as well as anyone who cares about the environment and animals should only purchase products with the label that states “certified sustainable” palm oil.

Now you have been enlightened about a few of the challenges the vegan lifestyle endures but rest assure, the sacrifices a vegan makes are well worth it.