People are increasingly concerned about their health and the effect that what they consume has on it. This has led to vegetarianism and veganism becoming more and more popular. The steadily worsening climate change and rising concern about the ethics of consuming animals have led people down this path. Vegetarians refrain from eating meat while vegans go the extra mile and refrain from consuming dairy, eggs, and any other products of animal origin. The idea for vegans is to embrace a way of life that attempts to exclude all forms of animal cruelty and exploitation. For some people, such a radical lifestyle change brings with it understandable apprehension and even reluctance. For many, the spirit is willing but the body is weak. Here are a few changes that happen in your body when you go vegan for a week for those who need to start by dipping their toe first and seeing the results before conducting a complete system overhaul of their lives.
1. Weight loss
This is just about the fastest and most noticeable change. People lose weight when they go vegan for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons is because plants contain fewer calories and grams of fat than animal products. Another reason is that when going vegan reduces your snacking on the-go options. Many of the snacking options available contain meat or dairy products excluding them and thus keeping you from partaking in mindless unhealthy eating on the go. More weight loss will be registered by people whose previous diet was full of processed foods and saturated fats. If your previous diet was mostly plant-based you may not register so significant a change.
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2. Increased energy
Increased energy levels are felt almost immediately. This is experienced because of the overall improvement occasioned by a healthier diet. It’s also experienced because avoiding processed foods and treats reduces the blood sugar spikes that lead to energy depletion and crashing. After about a week of eating healthy and staying away from processed sugars, bodily processes start to normalize and natural energy from whole foods can be sustained. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts boost your vitamin, mineral, and fibre levels.
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3. Evolving taste buds and cravings
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to so radical a change in diet is how to handle and beat their cravings not to mention how to adjust their palette to their new diet. Science shows that people’s taste buds evolve over time. People who go vegan report a noticeable difference in their tastebuds that heightens their sense of taste so that food brings them so much pleasure.
Consuming plant foods helps one develop an appreciation for minimally processed foods. Your taste for artificially processed foods will diminish and with it the attendant cravings.
4. Better digestion
The increased fibre intake occasioned by an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables greatly improves digestion. Animal products contain very little fibre in comparison. Fibre is needed to help the body eliminate waste and cleanse the system. Many people experience marked improvements in appearance, elasticity, and consistency of their bowel movements within only a week of going vegan. Some people also find that they are less bloated and their stomachs are noticeably flatter than before.
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5. Elimination of toxins
Junk food generally contains elements that the body does not know how to process that the body then stores in its fat reserves as a defence mechanism. When you go on a vegan diet, the body begins to break those reserves down which has the unfortunate side effect of headache and sometimes nausea. Eating fruits and vegetables helps and the symptoms eventually pass. Consuming an abundance of fresh, raw fruit helps the body to quickly cleanse and flush out toxins.
6. Better sleep
A vegan diet has been linked to better sleep overall especially for people with sleep apnea and chronic snoring. Processed foods burn energy quickly compared to whole fruits and vegetables and for this reason, can keep you up at night. Vegan staples including kale, bananas, and sweet potatoes improve sleep quality.
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Let us know if you decide to give one month of being vegan a try and what changes you experience as a result of it.
If you’re considering a radical dietary change, here’s a piece on things you need to know before becoming a vegetarian.
