Going vegan may enhance your sleep, energy levels, and general wellbeing. But not only that, but it’s also beneficial to the environment and the animals.
A growing number of people in every region of the world are adopting a plant-based or vegan diet.
At the beginning of the year 2022, there were 629,000 persons from more than 220 nations and territories who signed the Veganuary commitment to consuming only plant-based foods for January. (The number increased by 129,000 when compared to January 2021.)
A plant-based diet has the potential to completely change your life, regardless of whether your motivation is to improve your health, put a stop to the mistreatment of animals, or save our planet. Let’s have a look at some of the reasons why you might want to think about making this adjustment to your lifestyle.
1. Improved digestion and sleep
A panel of 500 people from the United Kingdom who had become vegan during the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympics participated in a survey that was recently conducted by The Vegan Society for their Vegan and Thriving campaign. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether or not there is a connection between eating a plant-based diet and the participants’ levels of overall health and fitness.
One of the primary reasons people choose to go vegan is because they want to improve their health. Among those polled, 46% of respondents said that they wanted to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables, and 44% stated that they wanted to improve their digestion and minimize bloating.
The findings of the survey were consistent with the reasons cited by the participants. Better digestion was reported by 56% of the respondents, and better sleep was enjoyed by 55% of the individuals who took the survey.
However, this raises the question of why vegans experience improved digestion. A high fiber intake from grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables can induce beneficial metabolic processes, such as upregulated carbohydrate fermentation and downregulated protein fermentation, according to a study that was conducted by E. Medawar, S. Huhn, A. Villringer, and A. V. Witte. The study was published in the journal Nutrition Research. This encourages the establishment of a plentiful population of particular bacteria species in the digestive tract, such as Prevotella, which contribute to improved health in the body as a whole.
A diet consisting primarily of plant foods is associated with numerous health advantages. Through an improvement in cholesterol regulation, it may be possible to stave off chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, according to research. It is also believed to enhance the regulation of hunger driven by hormones in the gut (meaning that vegans tend to lose more weight).
2. Improved energy levels
We may be going to require more energy to get through the day. Consuming a large meal during noon can not only make us feel sleepy but also slow down the activity in our brains.
However, if you follow a vegan diet, you may find that you have greater energy throughout the day. 41% of those who participated in the study expressed an interest in increasing their levels of energy, and 53% of those who did so reported seeing an increase in their levels of energy after substituting fruit and vegetables for meat and dairy in their diet.
Even while following a plant-based diet, it is essential to consume the appropriate nutrients to maintain a healthy level of energy. Some of the foods that are included in a vegan diet that are particularly high in energy are healthy nuts like almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and brazil nuts, as well as nut butter, and various types of beans, lentils, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds, quinoa, barley, and brown rice. Other high-energy vegan foods include nut butter. Consume a lot of those, and you’ll have a life that’s bursting with vitality and goodness.
3. Higher fitness levels
Your training routine and endurance will both improve as a result of increased energy levels. According to the findings of a poll conducted by The Vegan Society, fifty-two percent of respondents reported improved levels of physical fitness, including the capacity to walk and/or run further and/or more effectively.
A plant-based diet can also enhance the frequency of workouts because 34 percent of respondents said that they experienced a quicker recovery time between different workout sessions while following a plant-based diet. Better performance is also in the cards, as evidenced by the fact that 31% are now able to lift higher weights.
Ninety-eight percent of those who took part in the study reported that they participated in some form of physical activity at least once every week. The majority of respondents (69 percent) named walking as their preferred method of physical activity, followed by jogging or running (62 percent), swimming (53 percent), and cycling (52 percent).
Lisa Gawthorne, a vegan athlete who competes for Great Britain in the Olympic sport of duathlon, made the following statement: “I know that becoming vegan helped me run longer, cycle faster, and recover quicker as well.” I want people to understand how much better it has the potential to make them feel, not only from receiving the proper nutrition but also from the knowledge that they haven’t been responsible for the suffering or killing of any animals.
It’s the best thing that’s ever happened for your mind, body, and spirit all at the same time.
4. Living while taking care of the environment
A vegan way of life places a strong emphasis on maintaining a healthy connection between one’s mind, body, and spirit. Consuming foods that come from plants not only improves your health but also prompts you to examine how you relate to the natural world around you.
We are growing more environmentally sensitive even though each year in the UK over 1.2 billion land animals are killed for human food, and each day 10,000 acres of the Amazon rainforest are removed to make room for animal agriculture.
Longitudinal research conducted by Faunalytics on vegetarians and vegans investigated the reasons and circumstances that led participants to go from eating meat to not eating it. It’s interesting to note that persons who had experiences related to animal advocacy had a better chance of successfully giving up meat, and this was true regardless of whether or not animal welfare was their major motivator.
People who had previously been exposed to graphic media depicting farmed animals (42 percent), watched a documentary (36 percent), or received information from an animal advocacy group (21 percent) obtained better results in limiting the number of animal products they consumed six months later.
Compassionate practice and thoughtful decision-making around eating might have a positive impact on our mood. A guilt-free lifestyle can be achieved by valuing our ecosystem and living in a way that takes into consideration the natural world.
Veganism is more than just a way of eating; at the very least, it’s a way of life. It springs from the heart, and it is not only intended to enhance your health but also the environment around you so that you can take pleasure in a happier state of being and in a world that is more kind.
