[Eryca1123]

Hello Everyone!

So, after much consideration, I decided to take a step in a different direction and become a veggie chick! I've been down this path before and am trying it again.

I'm a big animal lover and pretty strict when it comes to using cruelity free products, so this is just the next step. Eventually, I want to become vegan but I'm taking baby steps. Altough, I'm trying hard to avoid eggs and dairy. I actually thought I was good to go but then realized my Kasha (sp?) waffles had eggs and dairy.

I also am giving up caffeine. It's been 2 days and I have a little headache but nothing too bad. I'm taking baby steps with this one too. Replacing coffee with one cup of black tea and then that will be replaced with green tea.

Well, just wanted to do a quick intro and am looking forward to all the valuable info that is on this board and any help I can give or receive along the way!

So, here to our health!

[Suzanne 3FC]

Congratulations on making a positive move in your life I feel exactly as you do right now. I've been mainly vegetarian for quite a while now, though I can't say I AM a vegetarian because I have fish once every month or two, and I also take fish oil capsules daily. I'm also considering the move to vegan (mainly, not entirely), mainly due to concerns about the treatment of animals. As it stands, I'll only eat eggs from happy chickens, and I try to search out cheese from small artisan cheese makers that treat their animals very well. Another concern is the effect mass farming of animals has on global warming.

How's it going for you? Did you make it through the whole week?

[Genesis]

Congrats!!! That's awesome! I'm not vegan, but I've been lacto/ovo veg for 17 years and I try to buy cruelty free products whenever possible. Although PETA isn't an organization that agrees with everybody, their website does have a good list of companies that are cruelty free and those which are not. I use their list as my guide when shopping. I was surprised to see Revlon on the cruelty free list (had to check twice!) so I've been buying Revlon whenever I'm grocery shopping & get an urge to pick up a new lipstick or something.

Anyway, welcome! And I totally agree with Suzanne's comments on factory farming. I believe we are grossly abusing our position in the food chain. If the world was filled with happy farms, happy animals, happy farmers, happy farm hands and properly treated farm waste and water run-off, I'd probably use more animal products. But the factory farm system is so abusive to the animals, the environment and the people the industry employs that I'm totally turned off.

Good luck - and remember, the goal is progress not perfection! If you can't go animal free, just cutting out red meat is a great start!

[mauvaisroux]

Welcome to the forums!