Lots of people emphasize the importance of healthy living and eating. However, many do not understand exactly the best type of lifestyle that is most beneficial for not only personal health, but also the health of the environment and the animals that we share the world with. A primarily plant-based diet, such as a vegetarian, pescetarian, or vegan meal plan, is the one of the best ways to prevent illnesses while also treating animals with respect and conserving valuable resources.

For the past few years, more light has been brought to plant based lifestyles.  Despite this, few people actually consume plant based diets, only an estimated five percent of the US follows a vegetarian diet according to a study conducted by the Vegetarian Research Group. Though this is a significant increase from years past, many more would likely switch to a variation of the vegetarian diet if they possessed a true understanding of the many perks of a plant based diet. If people knew how many personal and environmental issues could be solved with a vegetarian-style diet, the majority of people would switch from the traditional American Western diet, filled with processed and artificial animal products, to a more natural and plant based meal plan.

As far as personal health goes, a pescetarian (a vegetarian who also eats seafood), vegetarian, or vegan diet is proven to decrease risks of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and obesity according to various studies conducted by Oxford and Harvard Universities. Though many believe that this type of diet is difficult to maintain, experience proves otherwise.

A few months ago, I decided to cut most meats out of my diet, while also trying to reduce the amount of dairy and processed foods in my daily meals. I had thought about trying out a vegetarian diet for a while, and after doing some research about the health sides of it and watching documentaries about the moral message of plant based living, I was eager to try out a plant-based diet. I was initially nervous to approach my parents due to fears that they wouldn’t understand my desire to stop eating meat, but after talking to them, we settled on first trying out a pescetarian diet, which leaves fish and seafood in the diet but cuts out all other meat.

Before switching, I had felt tired and often felt weighed down and exhausted after eating meat and highly processed foods. Since switching my diet, I have also noticed that my intake of dairy and processed and artificial foods has unconsciously decreased as well.  I can personally attest that since switching to a diet based primarily on fruits, vegetables, grains, and some fish and seafood, I have felt healthier and had more energy. I also know that I have felt stronger, leaner, and more happy since cutting meat and other unhealthy foods out.

In addition, I have learned from this experience how much we as a species have taken advantage of the other organisms that we share our world with. Some of the agriculture practices used to grow livestock on large industrial farms are cruel, producing unnatural traits and harmful unplanned side effects. After having fought so hard for equal rights for all people, regardless of gender or race, when they didn’t have a voice, it is unfair to treat animals with no way of defending themselves so poorly. Taking meat from animals that are commonly mistreated on large commercial farms, like chickens, cows, and pigs, out of my diet has helped me feel better about my role on Earth. Plant based diets and lifestyles also offer a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way of living by decreasing food production cost, water use, and energy use.