The hardest thing ever?

-----I wrote this post as a New Years Resolution post, but then kind of chickened out on going vegan... but now, I'm totally in!!! -----

So, have you ever heard of the "Engine 2" diet? It's vegan, or as they call it, plant strong. I had seen the bright red book at my local Whole Foods for the past year or so, but never really paid much attention to it.  Little did I know, it is just up my alley.

I was introduced to Engine 2 when a friend asked me if I had ever seen the documentary "Forks Over Knives." Forks Over Knives documents the studies and experiments of Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn as they research how food affects the body, both positively and negatively.  Dr. Esselstyn is the leader of the Breast Cancer Task Force at the Cleveland Clinic.  In a nutshell (no pun intended), he found that cancers are virtually unknown in areas where animal fats are rarely consumed. Dr. Campbell participated in a research study regarding high incidence of liver cancer in a certain population. (For a whole rundown of their work, visit the website. I can't do them justice.)

I went vegetarian some time in 2007 (I think?) after watching the movie - not even documentary - Fast Food Nation.  The movie highlights a number of injustices that take place in the food system.  From illegal immigrants being exploited as cheap labor in very dangerous jobs, to the amount of fecal matter that is "acceptable" to be present in meat (EW!).  At the end of the movie, a guy falls into a meat mincing machine. That little scene right there is what did it.  It was easy. I simply stopped wanting meat.  I do, however still eat fish, dairy, and eggs.  My goal, starting Jan 1, is to go vegan for 30 days. If I can make it 30, I'll go for 60, then 90, then... life?

Why?

There are diet plans all over the place that help you lose weight, but that's not exactly what I want. For the past 6 years, I have been reacting to preservatives and artificial sweeteners. A simple can of soup or sniff of Splenda (aka sucralose) sends my stomach and gastrointestinal system into a tailspin. So if I can, I want to eliminate the fake stuff.  I don't need to replace meats and dairy, I just need to not eat it. Easy... right?

I want to overall feel healthier. Bill Clinton's road as a vegan and recovering cardiovascular disease time bomb is documented here and in the television documentary called The Last Heart Attack.  Forks Over Knives documents a number of individuals who have taken on a plant based diet in order to reverse their risks for heart disease.

I want to be next... wish me luck!  Come Jan. 1, I'm going for it!