Insight Into the Plant-based Movement [VLOG #99]

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Transcript:

Note: The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate. This is due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.

Hi Beauties,

Our VLOG topic today is Insight Into the Plant-based Movement that is happening globally. I am very excited about this topic. I have personally been plant-based for about 13 years and I just think that more information is getting out there.

Reasons to be Plant-based

More people are changing their minds about food and becoming educated about the health and the environmental reasons to be plant-based. Being plant-based is the best thing for the forest, the oceans and the animals globally.

The saying in our Ayurvedic medicine is as is the micro as is the macro. If a diet is really the best for our human body, it should be the best thing for society and the best thing for the environment and the planet and that is plant-based.

This doesn’t mean you have to be all or nothing. However, I think it’s good to be aware of the movement that’s happening. Perhaps think about being more plant-based in your choices, whether that means adding more plant-based dinners, plant-based lunches, and plant-based alternatives for you and your family.

Sales of Plant-based Products

Here’s some interesting stats. 16 billion has been invested in plant-based meat alternatives in the US over 10 years and 13 billion of that came in the last two years from 2017 to now.

There’s this movement happening where companies and industries across the US and also Spain and Netherlands are two forward thinking companies that are raising tons of money to find alternatives to meat as the population continues to grow. We know this is a necessity from a resource standpoint as well.

Americans are now spending nearly 2 billion on just plant-based dairy alternatives. All the nut milks out there and the coconut milks and the oat milks are swiftly taking over and eroding the dairy industry. This is really great from the perspective of digestion, and these poor dairy cows will not have to suffer anymore. I’ve been talking about not having dairy for many, many years, so this is music to my ears to hear that it is catching on.

New Plant-based Products

Now, have you noticed if you go around, you see signs. There is a grocery store here in LA. It has partly organic, but it’s more mainstream called Ralph’s and the big signs on the door are about beyond meat burgers and all these meat alternatives.

Fast food chains, the plant-based foods have claimed to be the hottest trend right now in the food world. Burger King is carrying the Impossible Whopper now, which is a plant-based patty. Fast food chains like Carl’s Jr, KFC, you guys, Subway, all feature beyond meat on their menu as of August this year.

These chains are starting to introduce change that we in our lifetime may have thought would never introduce vegan options are doing at record rates. This is a movement, you guys, that is happening globally. It is happening not just in certain cities, but again across the country.

Why is this Happening?

Now, why is this happening? Well, thankfully Forbes reports that the public interest in a plant-based lifestyle and demand for vegan and vegetarian options are driving this huge shift. More people are becoming educated. There’s more studies showing that people are joining the plant-based movement for health reasons, environmental impact, sustainability and moral reasons.

For me, when I became plant-based, it was largely because I was studying yoga and there’s such an emphasis in yoga philosophy on compassion. Also in giving up meat to better your meditation. For me, it was energetic. It was also health, being bloated and constipated.

Why I Stopped Eating Meat

When I stopped eating meat and dairy, my body just opened up and my hair and skin got better. But now for me, besides those reasons, a huge reason is the environment, saving the oceans, forests, and letting the environment come back is essential. That is something that is promoted from a plant-based diet, which doesn’t put a huge carbon footprint on the planet.

Eating meat takes a tremendous amount of water and resources and all the feed that the land is being used for to feed these animal products would be much more efficiently used and going straight to plant foods.

What the Experts Are Saying about Animal Consumption

More and more people are becoming educated about this. Experts say that animal product consumption has been linked to chronic disease, global warming, the lives of 70 billion farm animals and a devastating carbon footprint.

There are two very recent articles I want to point out from Harvard and the New York Times that explains how nutrition experts have uncovered loopholes and previous research that claimed red meat is not linked to heart disease and cancer. It is and it turns out that study was funded by the meat industry.

It seems like the meat industry, the dairy industry keep trying to keep their foothold in. There’s such a tie with big lobbyists, big food business, but more people are finding the truth out. They’re finding that a much more peaceful, lighter, healthful way to live that’s better for the environment is to become more and more plant-based.

What Can You Do?

I will say that number one, switch out your dairy milk for plant-based alternatives. It’s very easy to make that shift. Number two, educate yourself. Watch documentaries like The Game Changers. Watch documentaries, like What The Health. There’s amazing information about performance and health and the human body and all the misconceptions about protein and where we need to get nutrition, so check out these documentaries.

In Closing

Know that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Small changes make a huge difference. Even if you become more plant-based, having two or three out of your seven dinners a week plant-based, that makes a big difference.

Know that you are powerful. That you can make a huge difference in the world. Take the time. Read. We have tons of resources on the website as well.

Thank you so much for tuning in about this plant-based movement. This is so exciting and impacts the future of all of us. Sending you lots and lots of love and see you next week.