WHY DID I BECOME A VEGAN?
Why did I become a vegan?
This week has been quite a reflective one for me; I was remembering when I first got into the music business and how far I’ve come, when I started to wear locks and how long they are now.
Also, when I started on the path of becoming a vegan and how I am still one today.
All of these events have been momentous, but I’d like to continue the conversation around me becoming a vegan because I was recently asked how long I’ve been a vegan for and what made me decide to become one?
Now there isn’t a quick and fast answer so if you could bear with me I will take you on the journey that lead me to becoming a vegan.
As a sexually active woman and I’m not speaking of promiscuity, it’s our responsibility to ensure that we have regular cervical smear tests which is used in gynaecology to detect premalignant and malignant (cancerous) processes in the ectocervix. Significant changes can be treated, thus preventing cervical cancer.
Now, call this a sheer coincidence, but my cervical smear tests were always coming back with an abnormal result when I was on a chicken and fish (I’d given up eating red meat at the age of 22 years) diet, but as soon as I stopped eating meat, fish and all animal (milk/cheese/ butter/ eggs) derivatives my cervical smear results came back clear; 7 cervical smears (years) later and the results are still recorded as normal!
No SUSPECTED growths, there were no sign of any fibroid tissue which are more common amongst African Caribbean women. But most importantly I no longer experienced my extremely lengthy periods.
I can recall when my periods used to be so irregular there was never any point to me trying to work out when my next menstrual cycle would begin again; sometimes it would be after 21 days, 28 days or even shorter. That’s right I would sometimes experience periods twice in one month. I once even experienced a period for eight weeks and that’s no exaggeration.
What followed next was a series of tests that I had to undergo to determine what was happening with my menstrual cycle. My GP was unable to detect what the cause of it was and I started to become depressed. Eventually, I was referred to one of the top Gynaecologists in Harley Street called Professor John Studd. Yes, that’s his real name and it amused me too.
And to answer the question that may be floating in your head…no unfortunately, he wasn’t a ‘Stud’! Perhaps, that’s a good thing because it’s uncomfortable enough to have to open wide for a complete stranger, but one that could make your heart flutter would be the ultimate embarrassment for me.
The ‘Studd’ too was unable to detect the cause after close examination, he was happy enough though that the problem wasn’t caused by cancerous cells. What Professor Studd did do for me eventually was to slow down my periods performing a minor operation at the Lister hospital by inserting the Marina (Mirena) coil.
So, my menstrual cycles were somewhat regular now, my bleeds were at a reasonable length of four days average and my moods had settled down to be of a more calming nature.
Now, I made the statement that changing my ‘diet’ or to put it another way, my ‘healthstyle’ was the reason for my menstrual cycle to be back in line and be as regular as clock work which is the absolute truth.
If I can quote the TV nutritionist, Gillian McKeith – “We Are What We Eat”. I totally agree with that statement without any hesitation.
During the time of having abnormal results for my cervical smear tests which was when I was still on a flesh eating diet I almost went under the knife to remove what the consultant at the hospital referred to as a SUSPECTED ‘Polyp‘ or growth.
The one pivotal thing that prevented this from happening was that I’d asked the consultant whether having the operation to remove the growth from my cervix was going to effect me from conceiving in the future, suddenly the operation that was extremely important for me to have (consultant’s opinion) was no longer urgent because there was no guarantee that the operation wouldn’t prevent me from conceiving in the future.
This prompted the question in my head, is there an alternative and non evasive method to reducing or the removal of fibroid/ growths, etc from a females reproductive organs?
Funnily enough the ‘Universe’ corresponded to my question it would seem – a very good friend of mine Lesley had left me a voice-mail whilst I was in the hospital saying that she had a health minister coming round to her house to present to all her girlfriends about the power of food and it’s aide in the female reproductive system.
The health minister was promoting the vegan diet, going back to Eden, so to speak. I don’t know about you, but I had very limited knowledge about the vegan diet. I would go as far as saying that I thought it was like another world; learning about a very disciplined faith or religion.
The presentation came and went, I was totally moved by this woman’s knowledge of the human body and it’s ailments. I was shown how to live the life of a vegan and reap the health benefits. When I discussed my main issue of my irregular periods and smear tests with the health minister she claimed it could easily be resolved by simply changing what I put into my body, my initial thought was this is way too good to be true.
However, I was very keen for this issue to be finally resolved so heard her as clear as day and I started with the programme she’d put together for me which was a 30 day detox to slowly ween myself off from meat/ dairy and all the animal derivatives and start introducing myself to non ‘female’ foods.
This was a success and almost eight years on I’ve not looked back because I know that the nutrition I put inside of me contributes to my good health and well-being. My attitude around food has changed for the better with a real knowledge of what I am eating and why.
Next week I will discuss the powers around food and how they can heal with the benefit of tasting Fig London’s range of foods.
I hope you enjoy your ‘Soulful Sunday’
FIG LONDON, KEHINDE, VEGAN
