Usually people think it is a struggle to go vegan. They think it is too hard to give up certain foods, difficult to deal with social pressures, and too expensive. But once you go vegan, most of these are not in fact issues, plus you may discover some unexpected benefits.
I went vegan for ethical reasons after bingeing speeches and documentaries that show the horrors humans inflict on animals and finally confronting my cognitive dissonance. So it wasn’t difficult for me to cut out the animal products. I was doing it for the animals, not for me. But shortly thereafter, I discovered a whole host of benefits for myself that I never even imagined. Things I didn’t realize were cramping my style in every day life, were now suddenly better, I was feeling better, and the good news just kept coming! Here are some of the best and most surprising unexpected perks of going vegan.
Allergies
Since I was a kid I suffered with terrible seasonal allergies and asthma. I remember nights as a kid when my mom sat with me as I cried myself to sleep because I was wheezing so much it was hard to breathe. Then when I was older, I took allergy shots or sublingual allergy drops for at least 10 years in addition to still needing over the counter antihistamines and inhalers.
Now I’m not going to go so far as to say my allergies have completely disappeared. After all, it’s not even quite a full year since I went vegan. But I will say that I am no longer using immunotherapy, and my daily antihistamines are gone. I think I’ve used a total of 2 Claritin in the last year instead of using antihistamines daily.
There is some evidence to suggest that food is definitely related to seasonal allergies. Dairy, in particular has been tied to asthma and allergies in the scientific literature for awhile now. So going vegan can go a long way to improve allergy symptoms. On top of that eating a whole food vegan diet like I do is known to be very anti-inflammatory which also contributes to having fewer allergy symptoms.
Aches and Pains
As I got older, I started noticing that achy “getting old” feeling. You know that feeling, you wake up and don’t want to get out of bed because you know when you move your joints will snap, crackle, and pop. Just moving around in general seems to be more difficult than when you were a kid.
Well after a few weeks of eating a whole food vegan diet that is all gone. I mean I still get the occasional sore muscle if I work out differently. Or of course I still get pains from stubbing my toe and the like. But that chronic, daily, achy, joint stiffness and pain? All gone.
Once again, this is thanks to the anti-inflammatory effects of all the plants (and fungus…looking at you mushrooms). While meat and dairy are pro-inflammatory, plants are just the opposite. Once you stop the insult, the injury heals. So the combination of removing the inflammatory meat and dairy along with the addition of anti-inflammatory plants equals a double whammy of health-promoting bliss. It is a lie that joint pain is a normal part of getting old for most people. It doesn’t have to be when you fuel your body the way nature intended.
Food Crashes and Food Hangovers
Along with anti-inflammatory effects, plants also have energy sustaining healthy carbohydrates. Carbs have gotten a bad rap. While it is true that ultra-processed, highly refined carbs like flours and sugars are terrible for our health, whole carbs on the other hand are the perfect fuel for humans. Our brains and muscles run on glucose. This is stored as glycogen in our muscles for long-lasting energy. How does it get there? From eating lots of complex carbs.
Most of us are very familiar with the “food crash.” That feeling when you eat refined foods and get hyped up but then quickly crash to state of very low energy. You’ve also likely experienced “food hangovers” where you’ve eaten so much you feel sick and gunky. Gunky is exactly right. The high fat from processed foods, meat, and dairy do in fact “gunk up” our blood, making it thicker. It’s no wonder we feel less than our best after a giant meal of standard American fare.
Since going whole food vegan, I can honestly say I have never experienced either of these feelings again. I stuff myself silly every day. Literally every meal is an overflowing plate of food (or two!). And after, I always feel energized.
Some of this is thanks to our natural satiety mechanisms that do not function properly on a high fat and highly processed diet. Natural foods work with our biological mechanisms to tell us we’ve had enough. So I eat as much as I want until my stomach is stuffed…I do still get that full feeling…but never do I feel like I will burst. And thanks to the complex carbs, my body burns this preferred fuel efficiently for long-lasting energy. As long as you’re eating whole plant foods, no more food crashes or hangovers!
Acne
I have suffered with adult acne for years and it has been one of my biggest insecurities. In recent years, I was starting to develop deep cystic acne that was painfully inflamed. Dairy has been positively linked to acne, so many people will see improvements in their skin from eliminating dairy. And as previously discussed, the fact that all animal products are pro-inflammatory means eliminating them are also helpful since acne is an inflammatory condition.
Since going vegan my acne has not disappeared completely, but is has been drastically improved, and keeps improving every day. Shortly after switching my diet, the deep, painful, inflamed cysts started to calm. While I still had acne, it was no longer painful pretty much right away.
I knew many people completely get rid of acne when they go vegan so I dug into the research to see what else might be contributing to my continued breakouts. Turns out another key to improving acne is also reducing the amount of fat in the diet (whether unhealthy or “healthy” sources of fat). Once I eliminated all oils and drastically cut back on other overt fats, my acne continued to improve.
It is not easy for me to share these images, but you can clearly see the change. I still have a few blemishes and scars, but they slowly seem to be improving.
Teeth
This is one I really didn’t expect. Since going vegan my teeth are so much whiter and healthier. I only realized this once others pointed it out and commented how white my teeth looked. So I took a closer look myself and sure enough my teeth look amazing. On top of that, I don’t have that much plaque buildup anymore.
This was surprising to me because as a kid I had a cavity in nearly every tooth in my head. And I have a few crooked teeth that always had a lot of plaque buildup. But this isn’t happening anymore. The last time I went to the dentist, the hygienist poked around at my teeth, but didn’t really scrape much like usual. She said there wasn’t really anything for her to clean. Then the dentist came in, and said “Not much to look at on my end either!”
I can’t exactly explain why this is, I haven’t dug into the science to see if there is anything there. But from what I do know, I’m sure some of it has to do with the lack of sugar in my diet. I never use white sugar or honey for ethical reasons, and if I do add sugar it is in the form of a small amount of maple syrup or date syrup. Otherwise, all my sugar comes from whole foods. Perhaps all the chewing of fresh veggies has a cleaning effect, too! Who knows?
Food Bills
One of the main reasons people cite for not being vegan is the cost. This always baffles me because whole, natural, plant foods are usually the cheapest things in the grocery store. Beans, lentils, grains, fruits, and vegetables are the cheapest foods you can buy. Meat and cheese are some of the most expensive items. And that’s even after they’ve been subsidized. Just think how expensive meat and cheese would be if it was full priced!
True, if you are trying to replace meat and cheese with processed vegan meat and cheese substitutes, those items are expensive. As demand continues to increase, these items do come down in price. But here’s the thing, you don’t have to eat these foods! And if you want to be healthy, I suggest you skip them anyway.
I even spring for organic food as much as is possible, which is a bit more expensive, and still my bill is much lower. I’m eating a far greater volume of food for less money. That’s a pretty awesome benefit in my book.
Cross Contamination
I have always enjoyed cooking, but one thing I’ve always despised is the fear of cross contamination. Making sure you don’t mix your meat and eggs with fresh fruits and veggies. Ensuring you cook the meat and eggs to just the right temperature so you don’t overcook it but enough to kill all the pathogens. It’s ridiculous and stressful!
In my pre-vegan days, I’d probably wash my hands a dozen times in the course of preparing a meal. And then I was always worried about cleaning every surface properly. Maybe I am a little more germ-a-phobic than the next guy, but this is serious stuff! There have been studies showing how even following strict cleaning protocols using bleach cleansers, things like E.coli and Salmonella are still left behind.
But now? Cooking is a breeze. Instead of stressing, I am enjoying every minute. I never worry about if the wrong things are touching, it doesn’t matter! And I never worry about over or undercooking because there is no fear of bacteria or other contamination. I was never a big baker because of fear of the eggs having Salmonella, but now I’m getting into it. I love that I can taste the batter and lick the mixing spoons with no worries.
Dishes
This was another one that surprised me so much. Dishes are SO EASY now. And once I eliminated oils, too, it became even easier! I didn’t realize how terrible dishes were. I mean, I never enjoyed dishes, but I just thought, that’s the way it is. Using tons of concentrated, grease-busting soap after long soaks. Then putting in a good amount of elbow grease as I scrubbed over and over to get the plates and pans clean.
But now everything literally just rinses off. Honestly, I don’t know why I even still use soap. That’s how easily stuff cleans. Even if I burn food onto the bottom of a pan, or bake something without silicone or parchment, it is still a 10 fold better experience than cleaning a greasy dish with oil and animal fat or cheese in it. Even for these dishes with baked on or burnt on food, all I need is a soak in hot water and, once again it wipes right off.
Another reason many give for not going vegan is the fact that it might require more food prep in the home. While this is true, I would argue that even with the additional time to prep, the immense amount of time and frustration that is eliminated on the dish washing end more than makes up for the inconvenience of maybe cooking a little more than you’re used to. And if you’re already used to cooking at home, then you just get to enjoy all the benefits of this unexpected perk.
Wrapping Up
This is just a sampling of some of the surprising benefits I experienced when I went vegan. There have been so many other benefits as well. I’m generally happier, more energetic, and every day I feel more compassionate and calm. I’ve always been a relatively positive person, but since going vegan my positivity has skyrocketed. Even when the dark, sad, and depressing realities of the world feel overwhelming, I have greater hope for the future.
On top of this, my parents have embraced the lifestyle as well and I am thrilled with their surprising results. They both have lost weight without even trying, eliminated medications, and I’ve noticed such a change in their demeanors as well. They are both generally happier and more energetic as well.
Now that I know all the information I know about how many diseases can be reversed with a whole food vegan diet, I am so grateful I’ve been able to implement this and keep my parents around longer. And I will continue to support them and be the best example of this lifestyle as I can. I hope my example can inspire others so you too can benefit from a longer, happier life. Because not only does this help you live longer, but it makes those extra years of a better quality. Then we can all spread some more love and joy in this world.
