Thriving Emotionally with a Plant-Powered, Vegan Lifestyle
Awakening Compassion
We are wired for compassion and empathy. In spite of all the news stories that display the seemingly uncaring aspects of humanity, compassion for others is part of our biological and psychological wiring. Indeed, most of us are deeply concerned when others are suffering – and when possible, want to lessen their suffering. This includes…
The Healing Power of Vegan Values
Like many of us, I have always loved animals. As a child, I adored my pet cat, and I had a family of stuffed dogs that I took with me everywhere. I also didn’t like to see any animal (or insect) suffering – I remember once rescuing a grasshopper that was floating in the lake…
Vegan Thanksgiving 2022
Thanksgiving Day is not always easy for me as a vegan. When I adopted a plant-based diet 16 years ago, it changed how I viewed Thanksgiving and what this holiday means to me. I feel incredibly sad about the lives of animals lost for this one meal, especially when there are many delicious, plant-based, cruelty-free…
Speaking from the Heart: Keys to Effective Communication for Vegans
See if you can relate to any of these scenarios… How do we handle these challenging situations? Each situation requires us to connect with what we truly want and need…and to take actions that move us toward meeting these ends. In each situation, heartful communication is key. Communication that connects us with our selves and…
The Transforming Effects of a Plant-Powered Vegan Lifestyle
Highlights from my interview on the Healthy Lifestyle Solutions Podcast I had the honor of being interviewed on the Healthy Lifestyle Solutions Podcast with Maya Acosta. We discussed my vegan journey, the transformative effects of a plant-powered lifestyle, and how to inspire healthy lifestyle change. We also discuss definitions of vegan and plant-based, and reasons…
Key Practices for Creating a Healthful Vegan Life
“Veganism is not an elimination diet, it is a lifestyle filled with happiness, peace, and contentment.”“My health and my whole life have transformed. I feel like I got my life back.” “I’m living a life of ahimsa, doing the least harm to myself, the planet, and all beings.”“I feel lighter in body and soul.” These are…
7 Tips for Inspiring Others toward a Plant-Based Lifestyle
Note: This article contains excerpts from the e-book 7 Best Practices to Inspire Your Loved Ones to Go Plant-Based (available through WeDidIt.Health) Have you experienced the amazing healing power of a plant-based lifestyle? After celebrating your own health improvements, and learning about the extensive research supporting a whole food plant-based (WFPB) diet, it’s common to…
5 Ways Veganism Transformed My Life
I have always tended to be an introvert. I relish solitude. I prefer small groups to large crowds. I’ve lived a quiet life, not often sharing my views and opinions publicly. But then 15 years ago, I had an awakening that was so meaningful, compelling, and life-changing, it has continued to impact me and to…
Enjoying a Vegan Thanksgiving
I have to acknowledge that Thanksgiving Day is not always easy for me as a vegan. When I adopted a plant-based diet 15 years ago, it changed how I viewed Thanksgiving and what this holiday means to me. I feel sad about the lives of animals lost for this one meal, especially when there are…
Vegan Abundance
Eat Delectable Food, Improve Your Health, and Save the Planet “What do vegans eat anyway?” Before I became vegan, I viewed veganism as a lifestyle of restriction. I could not imagine what a vegan would eat, or how they would have enough to eat. It was challenging enough for me to navigate daily food choices…
Flourishing Emotionally with Plant-Powered Nutrition
Many who choose a vegan diet are aware of the benefits for improving physical health and reversing diseases. We’ve read the China Study and How Not to Die, watched Forks over Knives, and may have personally met people who reversed heart disease, diabetes, or cancer through a plant-based diet. When I became vegan, I wondered…
Going Plant-Based: A Revelation for Body, Mind, and Spirit
Going vegan was the best New Year’s resolution I ever made. To be honest, it wasn’t really a resolution. It was more of a quest that unfolded over time. I discovered that going plant-based is a transformation that leads to so much more than a surface level change in diet. It brings the joy and…
Vegan Thanksgiving
My past Thanksgivings were centered around a feast shared with loved ones, in which a turkey was the central part of the meal. When I adopted a plant-based diet nearly 14 years ago, it changed how I view Thanksgiving and what this holiday means to me. I still look forward to the shared meal with…
Navigating Social Challenges on the Vegan Path
I was at a birthday gathering with my husband’s family only a couple of weeks after going vegan. After several years as a vegetarian, a series of awakening experiences led me to adopt a fully vegan lifestyle. But it was still new to me. I was still coming to terms internally with all that I…
Boost Your Mood with Plant-Powered Nutrition
For many of us, 2020 has been a year of unprecedented stress—from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our lives, to extreme weather and natural disasters, to racial injustice and political divisions. Rates of depression in the US have increased more than threefold since the onset of the pandemic in March. Levels of anxiety…
How Veganism Inspired Me to Find My Voice
Throughout my life, I have been an introvert. I’ve always relished solitude, and preferred small groups to large crowds. I dreaded public speaking and hesitated to express my opinion, especially if it conflicted with others. This is a story of how I transformed from someone who avoided public speaking to becoming empowered to express what…
The Stages of Becoming a Compassionate Vegan
Growing up in Iowa, farm country, I had not given much thought to how the food I ate was produced. Like many of us, I had been raised to believe that meat and dairy were necessary for my health and survival. I only knew a few vegetarians or vegans, and didn’t understand why someone would…
Angela Crawford, Ph.D 