I grew up running around sport’s bars that my dad owned. My brother’s and I would go around busing tables and play with the walkie talkies. There were pros and cons to my dad’s career. My favorite pro was of course all the free food we always would get. Though, the downside was my dads busy schedule. Since I could remember my dad was always coming home late and waking up early to close/open the restaurant. My Mom stayed busy too. She was always someplace else doing things she found exciting.
My parents got divorced when I was seven years old, so I was pretty much always accustomed to living in two different households. For most of my childhood my two brothers and I would travel back and forth between my mother and father’s homes, and we were used to being raised in two different ways. Since both of my parents were really busy people when I was growing up, I had to learn to become independent pretty early on. Especially once I got into highschool, I was doing mostly everything for myself. This really affected many aspects of my life, but it significantly impacted what and how I was eating. I started to become unhappy with the amount of “junk” I consumed. Before I was able to cook for myself, most of my dinners growing up consisted of boxed spaghetti and take out from my dad’s sports bar, so once I was able to provide meals for myself , I started to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
In 8th grade my science teacher made us watch a documentary on the disturbing process of meat production and how eating meat negatively affects the human body. This documentary was the first thing that sparked me to change the way I was eating. I went vegetarian when I was fourteen years old. I wasn’t really sure of the type of commitment I was getting into, but I felt that it was the right thing to do. At first my change of diet caused me to eat more processed food, and consume very little protein. This didn’t make me happy with the way I looked or felt, so I decided to change my lifestyle. I did research about the positives and negatives of a plant based diet, and it led me to developing strong opinions towards the meat production process, as well as eating in a more sustainable way.
One main reason I went vegetarian was because of the cruelty that the “factory farming” industry has imposed on animals. The mass production of meat products harms animals by cramping them together and “raising” them in the easiest way possible in order to slaughter them for food and products. Factory farming is also damaging to our environment. A large portion of the greenhouses that contribute to global warming are emitted from factory farming. Also runoff from manure goes into large bodies of water, harming the ecosystem, and can cause toxins to seep into the water supply. There are better ways people can get their food supply, but the business side of the process is in control. Having a plant-based diet also is beneficial to the person’s health.
Eating fewer processed foods that contain the right nutrients affects a person’s overall health. I think my personal experience with a plant-based diet has shown me this. I found foods that make me feel better about myself both physically and mentally. I’m also happy to be able to follow my personal beliefs about how highly processed foods are poorly affecting people. There are so many better options for people who are able to adopt a better diet, though they may be too lazy or unwilling to try. I understand it’s not for everyone, but I think if more people were educated about the benefits, they would try to eat better. This could mean anything from eating more whole foods, less meat, more protein, organic, or whatever may be possible.
I’ve been focusing on my overall fitness and health a lot these past recent years, and I’ve come to really appreciate food and what it could do for us. I feel like a better person everyday because of how I’ve come to grow my lifestyle. My biggest lesson from this journey is becoming aware of the nutrients my body needs and balancing it with ethical ways of eating. There are so many possibilities when it comes to the food industry, but our society is still normalizing cruelty and harming ourselves along with the environment.
Currently I’m studying business administration at the College of Charleston. I want to be able to have a successful career, but still be able to keep up with what is important to me. I aspire to pursue a career in the corporate world. I’m really interested in human resources, and helping people who run successful businesses. I hope that I will be able to share my ideas about sustainability and living an ethical lifestyle could be spread to others. Whether someone wants to become physically healthier, improve their diet, or create a cleaner environment there are so many ways to change little things in one’s lifestyle.
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