Educate Yo' Self!

Altering the way you eat can be nothing short of life-changing.

I grew up in a very ‘meat and potatoes’ kind of house until I became a vegetarian at age thirteen. At that point in my life, vegetarian meant eating lots of side dishes. If I didn’t feel well whether it was a headache or common cold people would tell me, “well, it’s probably because you don’t eat meat.” Anytime my non-meat eating habits were brought up I would be asked, “how do you get your protein?” “Is it because you like animals or because you don’t like meat?” And of course, my Italian grandmother would look me up and down and finally say, “Elizabeth! You’re too skinny! It’s because you don’t eat meat!” Being that I was so young and uneducated on the subject I would simply shrug and say, “no it’s not.”

As I grew up that started to get old, so I decided to educate myself and become a smart vegetarian. One of the first books I read on the topic was called “Skinny Bitch.” The book’s authors take a humorous approach to promoting veganism as a way to look and feel good. The book was hilarious and more importantly, very informative. From there it all became a wonderful vegan blur. Not only did it help me find answers to often misinformed statements/questions surrounding the topic, it also strengthened my views and beliefs. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of education on all aspects of veganism. Becoming what I call an “educated vegan” is vital in order to properly take care of yourself or your family while adhering to this lifestyle.

Okay, so now that you have a background of why this is so important, here is a list of must-read and must-see books and movies on the subject. 

Movies:

Forks Over Knives. I spent some time promoting this film in 2011 before its release. Little did I know what a huge impact it would make once it hit the big screen. The film’s message is that forks, which we use to eat, are more powerful than scalpels used for surgery. In other words, food can be both our medicine and our cure. The film claims that “most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods.” I truly believe it is a must-see for vegetarians, meat-eaters, vegans and everyone else. It could be the most valuable hour and thirty minutes you could spend investing in your health. 

Earthlings. If Forks Over Knives is for your mind, Earthlings is for your soul. It is a documentary film about society’s treatment of animals. Although most of the film is heart-wrenching and often hard to watch, it’s a must-see for anyone interested in animal rights. Even if you are someone who says, “I don’t need to watch that movie. I know what happens, I know it’s bad.” To that I would respond: just watch this film once. An hour and thirty minutes, once out of your entire life isn’t much and I promise, you will be the wiser for watching.

Books:

“The China Study” by T Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II. This book is for the vegan knowledge seekers. It provides all the science behind the film Forks Over Knives. If you are an analytical, detail-oriented person, The China Study is for you. Even if you aren’t so much into details, this book paints an overall picture that will help answer some of the most nagging and important questions related to veganism and nutrition in general. It has answers to things such as the protein myth, why big medicine and the government don’t promote a plant-based diet and how to eat for optimum nutrition. This is a perfect book for answering the sometimes daily objections vegans face from meat-eaters. 

“Animal Liberation” by Peter Singer. Also known as the vegan bible, this book set the foundation for the modern animal rights movement. The author approaches animal rights from a thought-provoking, philosophical perspective. It shows the world in a way you might have never before noticed, or particularly wanted to notice. This should be required reading in high-schools everywhere, it’s that good.

“Skinny Bitch” by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. This one is for the ladies. By far, this is the most amusing vegan book out there. The authors take a humorous, satirical and informative approach to eating vegan. The book’s tag-line is, “a no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous”, which kind of says it all. The amazing thing about this book is it had me laughing out loud just as much as it had me thinking, ‘hmm I didn’t know that.’ Which is why it’s perfect for new vegans. The reader doesn’t feel bombarded with information, though the information is all there. On my first read I finished within a day and have re-read and enjoyed the book many times since. The authors also have a book, “Skinny Bastard” for men, which I’m sure is just as funny.