Going Vegan?

So why did I quit writing on this blog? It's a valid question. I could say it was for lack of time or energy, and that has something to do with it, but in truth, I just didn't see the point. There are so many blogs out there, right now, doing what I was doing, and doing it better, that I simply didn't see the point. I felt like I was more regurgitaing the same crap instead of contributing to the discussion.

So why am I back?
Because I had something to talk about, and I thought maybe this would be a good forum for me.

So here goes...

As some of you who have read my blog may know, my father has been struggling with cancer for the past two years. He's had three surgeries, the last one resulting in the loss of a third of his lung and two ribs. It's been awful. Watching my father suffer like that has had a huge impact on me, but there is more to the story. You see, he's not the only one. I have a friend in my writing group with the same cancer as my dad - or I should say, had, I haven't seen him in six months. The parents of two of my childhood friends are struggling with cancer - one kidney, one breast, another family friend with throat cancer, and yet another friend who lost his mother to cancer.  My step mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is waiting to have the tumor removed. My brother's father-in-law died from melanoma and my neighbor's husband just died a few weeks ago from thyroid cancer.

But wait, there's more...
Between my family and friends I know countless people with diabetes, and asthma and my mother-in-law, who has never smoked a day in her life, even has COPD. I feel like half the kids I know have allergies (many of them severe): milk, pork, sesame, peanut, tree nuts, eggs, chocolate (poor things) and wheat. And that's just what I could come up with off the top of my head.

And what about me? I'm ten pounds overweight, get daily headaches, have back problems and generally feel like garbage all the time!

I've felt the weight of all of this pressing down on me for months and I'm done. It's time to make a drastic change. Cue in Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman.

Perhaps this just came at the perfect time, or maybe it was because I was searching for answers, but this book really spoke to me. The basic idea is to cut out all of the processed crap, as well as meat, eggs and dairy. Basically, go vegan. Of course, being vegan doesn't make you healthy - vegans can eat crap too - you have to eat a nutrient rich diet of fruits and vegetables.

I've honestly always had misgivings about eating animals,  so giving up meat was kind of liberating for me. It's giving up everything else that's so hard.

I admit, I feel a little crazy. Like everyone's going to think I'm some wac-a-do. I told my mom about it and she asked me if I was going to be one of those "vaguns" now.  I said, "No." But I'm not sure if that's true or not. I'm still working it all out in my head.


I just know I need to do something.

So what about you? Anyone else going to extremes to get healthy? Does anyone have any feedback for me? Am I just nuts? :)