The Vegan Dilemma: Health Benefits vs. Real-Life Feasibility

Going vegan seems like the ultimate path to living a healthier lifestyle due to the fact that one can literally avoid some of the toxic substances that affect our health and body shape via being a vegan, and it's understandable that since most vegetables have most of the natural components our body needs, it'll help combat our body from illness, but is that really true? Does being a vegan mean you'll live a healthy life, and can I become one? All of these and more are the focal points I'll be discussing in this article.

To be honest, even though I feel somehow about the eating habits of vegans, I can't help but feel that I envied what they've and could achieve by living such a lifestyle; however, I feel as though they're missing out on some of the basis of life, from meat to fish and other food items that are just a delight to our taste buds, and that's not forgetting the fact that those meals avoided by vegans also have beneficial nutrients that our body system needs to thrive.

But regardless of my opinion about them and what they're missing out on, it's no lying that vegans are probably one of the closest to living a healthier lifestyle amongst we humans, and that's because most of the vegetables and fruit they consume have natural nutrients that aren't chemically molded and have side effects to harm us, but instead mostly aid the growth and wellbeing of those who consume them.

Also, it's worth noting that being vegan totally differs from being a vegetarian. I for one used to confuse one for the other and even almost did that above while trying to explain the eating style of vegans. It's worth noting that vegans eat all plant-based food items and only avoid animal-based food items or those derived from animals, while vegetarians, on the other hand, also avoid animal-based food items but mostly tend to use milk, which to vegans is still an animal-based food item. I hope these help you understand and not confuse you because I myself am getting confused along the line.

So with that being said, is vegan something I can give a shot at? I believe I can give it a shot since it's for the greater good. Everyone wants a happy life, and one of the mediums to being happy is to be healthy, so I believe I can give being a vegan a try and hold on to the lifestyle in as much as it'll guarantee me a healthy life, and I'll be fit and refreshed and good to go anytime, any day.

However, I was raised by non-vegans and have grown to be fond of fish, meat, and other animal-related meals, so staying away from it for long might be a difficult thing to do for ever, and thinking of how long I can stay on to being a vegan, I'll probably say a month. Even if I can stay true to the lifestyle, I don't think I can afford it beyond a month, and that's not only because I can't still follow the diet.

It's because being a vegan is almost more expensive than eating everything that comes. Take, for instance, not wanting to eat oil extracted from animals; meals I'll have to make do with oil extracted from plants like cashew oil, which is almost three times the normal price of the animal oil, and this includes other aspects. Fruits are now expensive as well, and if you can gather enough to get you satisfied throughout the day, you'll end up spending at least 10 thousand naira on a daily basis.

Now, giving all of that consideration, it shows how unrealistic it's to live this lifestyle. I'll probably give it a shot when I'm wealthy and can afford everything I need without blinking, but until then, I'll stick with what I can afford and try as much as possible to cut out excess to improve my wellbeing and prevent me from illness and the downside of such a lifestyle.

Even though I know vegan isn't the ultimate path to a healthy life, I believe it's one of the closest, and I'll love to be one in the near future if I finally have all it takes to be one.

All photos taken and edited on canva.