So You Want To Become Plant-Based?

Something has brought you here. Maybe you've decided to make the change from a meat-based diet to a plant-based one? Could it be that you're already plant-based but need that extra bit of help to live the healthiest lifestyle you possibly can, is it a goal or a dream? Are you pregnant and want your child to grow healthy and strong without implications? Or just maybe you're changing to see a better future for the planet and the animals that inhabit the Earth. There are endless reasons why people make the change.

Which ever it is, you have come to the right place! Here at yumfu, I am dedicated to giving you the best possible information and advice about living on a plant-based diet, making sure to spread the message with positivity and as much truth, awareness and knowledge to help improve your lifestyle.

Firstly I would love to introduce myself to you. I am Callum, the founder of yumfu, 

Why am I plant-based? Well for me, like most of the population, I grew up on a very meat orientated diet. I don't think there are many in my generation that have been brought up on a completely plant-based / vegan diet, as we live in a world where the majority do eat meat. 

I was always very aware of where food came from. How it came to be that a meaty meal appeared on my plate. But I chose to push that to the back of my mind, tried to cut off the connection between animals and the food that I ate, which for a long time worked, even after seeing those harrowing videos online about how animals are treated.

Back in college, I did try to become vegetarian, though back then there didn't seem to be a huge demand for the food, with very limited stock in my local supermarkets, and the food hadn't evolved to what it is today. I wouldn't say it was bland or boring, I think it was more the fact that I didn't know how to cook it, and slowly ventured back to having meat on my plate again. There was also my lack of knowledge, of how to eat in the healthiest way I could without becoming deprived of the nutrients I needed for my body to function optimally, especially as society bombarded the news with false statements such as 'the only way you can get the nutrients such as protein and iron is from animals". I just assumed that was always going to be the way. Back then I was very naïve.

This carried on for many years to come, I continued to eat meat. It wasn't so much red meat, but I definitely focused on white meats and fish, in order to get the 'best' intake I thought I could. It was only after a while that I started to realise I was contradicting myself. I said I loved animals, but then I also chose to eat them. In my head, this didn't make any sense. How could I claim to love something, but at the same time allow my brain to ignore that, simply for my own 15 minutes of sensory enjoyment? This is when I decided to go back to being a vegetarian. Since the last time, the global demand for plant-based meals had sky rocketed, the options were growing. This time, the transition was a whole lot easier.

It was then I began to look into the backgrounds of whole foods, and realised that what I had learnt growing up about protein, iron, omega 3 was indeed a myth, that had grown exponentially over time. With the know-how that I could get all my nutrients from just plants alone, whilst having the information and science right at my fingertips, I decided to delve into the world of plant-based foods and I have never looked back.

To some people, living on a plant-based diet may be daunting and looked upon as a very boring diet. But it's all about flavour! No matter the food you are eating, even if it is meat, if it isn't seasoned and cooked right, of course it's going to be bland! Once you know how and experiment with new foods, then it's going to get easier, and to the point where you won't need animal products in your diet.

After going through this myself, I now seek to help people who have been in the same situation, to let others know that there doesn't need to be a long line of harmful activity to get food onto my plate. As awareness is being increasingly spread through the media every day, more and more people are changing their eating habits, putting together the link between food and where it comes from, turning their back on an industry that has dominated the globe, and caused so much destruction for years. To which I appreciate for the sake of the planet, and the animals, the world is slowly becoming more aware on how it's possible to reduce your carbon footprint on the environment, not just from eating plant-based, but also with actions to live more sustainability and eco-friendly.

Of course I would love to see everybody on the planet reduce their meat consumption and start to develop a more plant-based lifestyle, but I know that it is never going to be easy and it won't happen overnight, maybe not even in my lifetime. However, with the right knowledge and education available for people to delve into, we can make a step in the right direction and start to make choices which in turn will help to see a rise in more food conscious decisions, allowing health and wellness to thrive.

Whilst the growth of vegan and plant-based diet rises, the educational side of it tends to fall behind. Some convert back to an omnivorous diet due to tiredness, fatigue and lack of nutrients, which is assumed a result of a plant-based diet, which just isn't the case. Every nutrient we need, we can source from plants, it's just the know-how of how we can attain these vital body functioning elements. As well as being wary about the quality of food that we are consuming and where it comes from, this is the same for any diet, without proper nutrition, the body will not thrive to the best of its ability.

This is where I want to help you. If I can make a positive change in just one person's life whilst leading them into the world of plant health and nutrition, then I have would have done my job correctly. Not only that, I would have helped out the life of a species that didn't deserve to have its life taken. 

Peace and plants 🌱 Callum

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