Unless you have lived underground for at least a decade now, you are probably aware of the idea of Veganism, the lifestyle that renounces all products derived directly or indirectly from animals. Vegans leave meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs and honey off the plate. A large segment of vegans also refrains from the use of animal tested products or animal based entertainments.
When I first met a practicing Vegan, I was dismissive of the lifestyle choice as unsustainable and restrictive. I have fought with the ideologists, finding loopholes in their efforts, instead of attempting to understand their premise. And, I am clearly not alone in my cynicism. India is, in fact, a land of many staunch vegetarians - hence, a diet devoid of animal flesh should have found great resonance in the country. But, Indian food is so heavily influenced by dairy and poultry products, that the ideology has not found a firm footing in the country yet.
This article is an attempt to understand Veganism better, from those who have made the decision to practice the philosophy in earnest.
The Crusaders
You can choose to be Vegan for many reasons: Health, inherent Herbivorous Human biology and Environment ,to list a few. But, the three people I had the chance of speaking with, were all Ethical Vegans, meaning that they had chosen the lifestyle out of compassion for other sentient lifeforms.
Supriya Mimani is a 28-year old health freak from Delhi with an extremely active lifestyle and crazy work hours.
Anand Siva is a 50-year old anti-theist and “an earth-loving maverick” residing in Mumbai_._ Anand is a name in the world of Advertising and Communication, and is also a motivational speaker on healthy living and veganism.
Ramaa Ramesh is a 29-
year old career woman living in Leeds, England. She is fond of music, reading and writing.
All the three are vociferous animal activists.
In fact, last September, Anand and Ramaa actively led and participated in the India Unites for Animals movement in various cities of the world, a movement that has garnered enormous interest and energy among thinking individuals.
It was sincerely eye-opening to have this conversation with these passionate minds.
So, when did they decide to go Vegan?
Supriya and Ramaa have always had a vegetarian diet. But, both had horrific personal brushes with animal abuse that led them to take the next step, of quitting dairy products and adopting veganism.
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Supriya urges us to take a step towards animal welfare - no matter how small[/caption]
“In the US, I happened to pass a dairy farm where I saw calves kept in confinement, away from their lactating mothers, in small, dark cages. I heard the mothers and the calves crying for each other. It was impossible not to be upset,” said Supriya. That is when she took the call.
“It was in 2012 that I came to face the fact that essentially we are stealing breast milk of a mother from her baby. The artificial insemination of a cow by shoving a hand up her private parts to ensure she is continually pregnant, exhausted and scarred, all so that I could have a glass of milk or a slice of cheese, hurt my sense of basic human decency. The feminist in me could not make peace with the rape and exploitation of cows,” said Ramaa.
Anand is a man of strong principles. He happened to see a PETA video and then visited a dairy farm, an experience that ensured that he became a life-long vegan and an aggressive advocate of the lifestyle.
What obstacles did they face in adopting Veganism?
Anand says it was just mind over matter. Once he came to term with the facts that he was not letting go, but accepting something, it was not too difficult to achieve. However, he does acknowledge that it was probably easier for a man of his years and experience to enforce a new lifestyle as compared to younger people, who are possibly more affected by societal obligations.
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Ramaa's love for animals influences almost all her life decisions[/caption]
For Ramaa, the biggest obstacle was the matter of taste. “For me, milk and other dairy products were addictive, and I mean it literally! Casomorphins, protein fragments created on digestion of milk proteins, have been proven to have opioid effects, making it harder to give up,” explained Ramaa. That totally explains why I can’t stop chomping on cheese. Ramaa also faced concern from parents and well-wishers, who worried about complete nutrition.
Supriya found societal pressure to be the hardest obstacle. “Everybody was always talking about my choice – either making fun of me or giving me undue attention. The compassion argument never worked, especially because in our country milk is used abundantly even for religious purposes,” said Supriya. She adds that it was awkward to refuse temple Prasad or birthday cakes, all such refusals raising eyebrows.
What changes did they have to make in their households to ease the transition?
Ramaa found a support system in her husband and fellow vegan, Mahesh, who had adopted veganism a few months before her. They devised recipes together, found substitutes for dairy and eased into the lifestyle. She also found great support in the Siva family – who are role models of the Vegan lifestyle. “Once their concerns were allayed, even my parents really got behind me,” added Ramaa.
Supriya found a ton of support from fellow animal activists who helped her settle into Veganism. According to her, the discoveries that made the transition hitch-free were “Aquafaba and Apple Cider for baking, WhiteCub – India’s first Vegan ice-cream chain by my friend Sonal, role models like Kuntal Joisher – the first Indian vegan to climb Mount Everest”, in addition to superfoods like Chia seeds and Watermelon seeds.
Anand’s wife helped him immensely by quickly switching over to a neutral diet, enabling him to exercise his choice. Initially, the idea was to constantly be mindful of the relevant life-decisions. “Once the family turned Vegan, there was not much left to bother about”, said Anand.
Anand deviates from the idea of finding suitable substitutes to dairy, choosing abstinence instead. “No substitute can give the feel of high-fat, creamy milk. So, substitution will open up the debate of comparison. Abstinence takes away that cause altogether,” said Anand.
How has the lifestyle affected them?
All three were excited to answer this. They concurred on feeling lighter, more agile and energetic. Ramaa and Anand both lost weight, healthily. Supriya’s health improved significantly. “I was anemic all my life and suffered from severe GERD (Gastro Reflux Disease), both of which disappeared after I switched to veganism. My skin and hair feel so much better as well,” added the 28-year old.
The lifestyle also had positive impact on their emotional beings. “I am more alert, sleep beautifully, and live without emotional baggage,” said Anand. Ramaa said that she feels good looking at the mirror at a woman who is able to live by her principles.
Socially, they have all found respect for their resilience and commitment, despite the occasional ridicule. Ramaa calls out her amazing colleagues at Hitachi, who have “stood by me and accepted my lifestyle, remembering to order mindfully for me and giving thoughtful gifts”.
But, isn’t veganism an expensive life choice?
Anand urges people to think of this in terms of Total Cost of Ownership – the argument used to explain why using public transportation (like cabs) is in fact cheaper than owning a car. Likewise, if one takes in the cost of healthcare, fitness, emotional wellness and then compares the vegan and non-vegan lifestyles, the former would come out to be cheaper, in his opinion.
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Anand is well-known as one of the key people in India's movement for animal rights[/caption]
“I recently conducted my daughter’s wedding – and it was all vegan, all organic and plastic free” stated Anand, a celebration that was covered by various newspapers for its incredible messaging and commitment. “And I possibly got it done at a lesser cost than regular weddings,” he chimed.
What is their advice to others considering the lifestyle?
Anand mentions that this cannot be captured in a brief conversation. For the undecided, it is a matter of counselling and conversations. He himself extends that service in the forms of lectures, workshops and interactive sessions. His workshops are interestingly titled, Life without MediSins.
Supriya advises to not be too hard on oneself. “If everyone in the world just cuts 50% of their dairy consumption, we would not need to steal calves from their mothers”, advised Supriya.
Ramaa suggests starting with watching Cowspiracy on Netflix to reinforce the belief, figure out a proper diet plan and allow time for the ‘dairy addiction’ to fade. “You need to also decide whether to quit right off the bat or phase it out – my husband and I did this differently, each finding the way that suited us best”, said Ramaa. She also advises, sagely, to “ignore the haters”.
Do you lead a vegan lifestyle or are interested in one? Do comment below or write to us with your thoughts and suggestions at editor@blankslatechronicles.com