Starting My Vegan Journey by Christy Reynolds

Living in a rural area, in the south means, at least for me, being surrounded by fast food, steakhouses, bar and grills, all you can eat Chinese food, and an occasional Mexican restaurant.  Growing up, it wasn't a meal if it didn't include meat and potatoes.  As a teenager, I tried going vegetarian, but with little to no information, and no one to turn to for advice, i actually got sick.  I'm not sure why, but my best guess is a vitamin deficiency or not getting enough calories...who knows?  As an adult, I have never really consumed a ton of meat, but I did still have it fairly regularly.  I had already switched to meat substitutes from Gardein, Morning Star Farms, and Quorn when cooking at home, and talked about trying vegetarianism again, but for some reason still hadn't made the switch.  One day, for whatever reason, I started doing internet research on the meat industry, the impact on our planet, and what the over consumption of animal production does to our bodies.  What I found on animal cruelty alone pushed me to make the switch.  While my surroundings haven't changed, I still live in rural Alabama, and I've hit a few bumps along the way, I'm fully Vegan now.  I still have to navigate eating in restaurants, the holidays, and I'm currently suffering from a B-12 deficiency, but through all of this I'm learning to overcome obstacles and becoming healthy.