Anecdotal changes. The Importance of Sharing | EcoTrain Question of the Week

EcoTrain Question of the Week

Name one small change you have made or could make to your life that would be of great benefit to the world if everyone did the same.

Support keeps things moving. It allows them to continue their place in whatever walk of life they exist. Negative things get support as much as those considered positive do. But, as we all know, those words, positive and negative, are defined in the eye of the beholder. So, how can we figure out and agree on what is negative or positive? If we ever do, how then can we change and maintain our newly found ways to help others live a healthy and satisfying life?

My suggestion to this dilemma is to share our personal stories with anyone that listen and hope others do the same. Because without others sharing their experiences, I don't believe I would be living the lifestyle I am today.

Scientific study after study can and often do get varying results. Many times the scientific "evidence" is so contradictory to another study, it becomes laughable and completely unbelievable. Take for instance the idea of the human diet. Eat meat.... good, some will say. Others have difficulty just seeing or thinking about consuming a dead animal. So, who is right? Or, what is right?

Over five years ago, my husband and I finally completed our transition to a mostly unprocessed, plant based diet. It took many years of slowly doing things differently. It started with the little things, like skipping a slice of cheese or using humus in place of mayo. Never did either of us think we could just wake up vegan. We knew once we decided to attempt this massive transition we would need time, patience, and the strength to ignore the hunger our stomachs were irritated with. Our bodies still craved and were telling us to eat all that stuff we were used to. But we knew it was a trick. And this trick wasn't funny or amusing. Being hungry when you know you really don't need food is where it all begins, and it's not all that fun. We started to understand that maybe hunger isn't really all it seems to be and eating often might just be overrated. So, we used freewill to it's full extent and slowly our brains forgot about a few of those foodstuffs we had once accepted as food. It took time and many days of being a little irritated with ourselves and the world, but then, one day, those screaming cries for calories stopped.

Our Plant Based Meals

During the transition period, no matter how many vegetables, fruits, or nuts we ate, there was always a craving from the past that would linger. But once again, a day came when those too stopped. Our bodies had changed. Our minds had changed. We truly could not believe we had been fooled for so many years about what tastes good, or what is considered healthy. Fresh vegetables and fruits became as delicious as any great tasting concoction from our past diets. In fact, most of the "foods" we once salivated over, now did nothing to our taste buds. When we first realized the flavors we used to love now tasted like something from a laboratory, we knew our bodies had previously been put on a misleading path. And what a wake-up call that was. Eating became easy and unfiltered. No more mix this, or cook that. It was pick this or peel that instead. And the ecological footprint we had once left was being washed away. We were now building up the ecosystem. We became aware of just how detrimental our past diets were to the world and I must admit, that fact really stuck, as it was one of the most surprising consequences of the food industry that came to our attention.

Our experiment and experience with diet started with stories from others. Some came from medical doctors, some from dieticians, but most came from people like you. Just everyday people that had been lead down the wrong path. People that had no reason to embellish. People that came to the same conclusion we finally did. Sure, they were just sharing what many will label anecdotal, but without those stories, I probably wouldn't be sharing mine. And as anecdotal as it may be called, it changed me forever. So, please share your personal experiences. Even if you are a rare case, there will be a soul that will seek you out. It's now part of the way so many seek knowledge and I am very thankful for it and those that made and continue to make it happen.

Photo copyright: @thelaundrylady

I am glad to find like minded people on Steemit! It's a community I am happy to be part of. If you like my post, please upvote, resteem and comment. I would love to hear your experience.

I am so honored to be an official passenger on the #ecotrain, a group of great people who are working hard to make this world a better place. Check out the previous ecoTrain magazines at @ecoTrain.