Veganuary – everything you need to know about this healthy month.
If you are a fan of various diets and a healthy lifestyle, you have certainly come across the term – veganism. However, perhaps not everyone knows that veganism has a specific month of the year in which it is talked about the most.
This month is called VEGANUARY .
Its name was created by combining the two words vegan and January.
This non-profit organization was founded in the United Kingdom in 2014.
Since then, Veganuary has become more popular every year, with more and more people participating. According to the latest statistics, around 400,000 people from all over the world registered for the event in 2020.
The goal of veganuary is to popularize veganism and convince people to try this healthy lifestyle for themselves.
Ok, so as not to offend any vegans (or vegetarians), I definitely shouldn't use the word "leather". And why? The main ideas of veganism, in addition to not killing animals and not consuming food that comes from them, are also raising them and not killing them for commercial purposes. And just for fun, leather is one of the most used animal products in the world, and around 140 million animals are killed for it every year.
So once again. The goal of veganuary is to popularize this healthy lifestyle and convince people to try veganism for at least 31 days.
The event's main patrons include stars such as Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix and Beatles co-founder Paul McCartney. Joaquin has been a lifelong vegan and Paul has been a vegetarian for 40 years.
And why should you try veganism?
One of the main reasons why you should try veganism at least once in your life is definitely the improved health. According to a large number of people who are or have been vegan, you can expect to see improvements in your digestion and a feeling of increased energy after just a few days.
In terms of long-term positive effects on our health, a vegan lifestyle can positively affect cholesterol, help maintain balanced blood sugar levels, or aid in weight loss.
According to one American study, a vegan diet can help you lose around 4kg in 18 weeks.
Additionally, a plant-based diet is simply more nutrient-dense than an animal-based diet. According to several studies, you'll find more fiber, antioxidants, and other healthy nutrients in a plant-based diet. It also contains more potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and E.
Eating fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fiber is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. According to recent studies, comparing vegans to people with a classic diet, vegans had up to a 75% lower risk of high blood pressure.
In addition, it has been proven that vegans have up to 42% less chance of dying from heart disease.
If the above benefits and positive effects haven't convinced you yet, I'll also mention for the sake of interest that a vegan diet has positive effects on various types of arthritis. In one comparative study, 40 people were given the option to switch to veganism or stay on a classic "omnivorous" diet. Those who chose veganism after 6 weeks of the study reported higher energy levels and overall better functioning. Those who stayed on the classic diet had no change in their health.
The positive impact of veganism on nature.
In addition to the positive effects of a plant-based diet on our health, its positive impact on nature is certainly worth mentioning.
According to a study published in the English newspaper The Independent, it is mentioned that eating a vegan diet could be the "biggest way" to reduce our negative impact on the environment on Earth. Scientists from the University of Oxford have found that removing meat and dairy from your diet can reduce an individual's carbon footprint from food by up to 73 percent. If everyone in the world did this, an area the size of the US, China, Australia and the entire European Union combined would no longer be used to raise various animals.
A vegan diet also has a greater positive impact on nature than, for example, driving an electric car.
What should you be careful about when going vegan?
If your vegan diet is well-structured, you can expect many positive things, especially positive changes in your health.
However, what you should definitely be careful of is trying different recipes and consuming everything that is vegan. This category also includes various "fast foods" and pre-prepared and deep-frozen foods.
If you're not careful, you could end up with damaged health. And none of you want that. In addition to your vitamin B12 and D levels dropping, you could also experience a drop in iron, calcium, and zinc.
Therefore, be sure to cook most of your meals at home and only according to proven recipes. And if you are even more serious about veganism and decide to be vegan for more than 31 days during January, be sure to consult with plant-based diet experts.
