001: Meet The Blogger



Copyright to Oldwater on Flickr

 My name is Candace. I'm 24 years old. I live in the central valley. I work in a typical office setting as a data specialist. I am engaged to be married next year. I have three boys who are six, four, and six months. I'm a vegan and the only one in my household because I am firm believer on informed personal choices.

I went vegan in October 2009. What started out as an easy way for me to eat generous portions and keep my weight down, turned into something that is basically now the root of what I am. I had been borrowing countless books from the library on weight loss this and low-calorie that... and in the mix, I had ordered Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. Amongst all these self-deprivation books, this one actually had a clear message. I lightly experimented on some well known vegetarian foods for maybe a week then just made the switch to full vegan. With only a short three month gap of being a lacto-vegetarian in mid 2010, I have never looked back.

As much as most self-righteous vegans want to be proud of the fact they made the switch for animals, I did not. I made the switch for myself. My body hated me. My stomach felt like it was a gambled mess torn into pieces. I had no energy. My heart rate fluctuated out of nowhere. I had headaches every day. I was sluggish mentally. I was a mess. Within the first few weeks of my being vegan, my stomach started to turn around. A few more months on top of that, everything else made it's way back into what I should feel like at good health. I feel it could have come much sooner, if I had not become pregnant less than two months into being vegan and suddenly could not stand vegetables and had morning sickness every morning, noon, and night.

While I understand that not everyone can or wants to make the choice to go vegan, I will not stop promoting it. I understand that a healthful diet CAN include eggs, dairy, and meat. And I also understand that a healthful diet CAN include cookies, cakes, and candy. As far as a health choice goes, I include animal products in the same category as junk food.

There are some people who give me the time of day to explain veganism and the health benefits, but most are too stuck on themselves to even consider it. I'm picked on and singled out, and my weight is constantly being considered the result of it even though I was 20 pounds lighter when I was an omnivore. I started this blog because I know that sometimes it's easier to understand and accept something when it is written out. My mother was a vegetarian for years when I was growing up, and I would have none of it. I had to read about it myself to even consider it.

So, read along as I write about the right kind of take on nutrition. Learn about the many vegan food, restaurants, and products, the false information you are being force-fed by big companies and the right information that can make you into a more healthful, vibrant person, have a laugh at the stupidity of the world, and sometimes get a little peak into my personal life when it relates to food.