Going Vegan and Keeping Your Heart Healthy

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Hi, lovelies! Are you thinking of changing your diet? 

That’s very understandable since we all want to stay looking good and healthy at the same time. One of the most popular ones that have worked like a miracle to many was transitioning to vegan.

Yes, vegan means no more meat, no more pizzas (which I know we all love), no more dairy products… Sigh, thinking about it would really make your heart
sunk. But hey, think about the benefits that it would do to your health! Actually, the vegan options to these are really delicious! You just have to learn how to cook things.

Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle can seem really scary but often the idea of a big lifestyle change is a lot scarier than actually doing it. If you focus on making one change at a time the progression to veganism will feel quite natural. It’s important to go at your own pace and to decide on a method that works best for you. 

So if you’ve decided that you’d like to become vegan, here are some ideas and guidelines to structure your transition to veganism and some reasons why it is good for your heart health.

EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT IT

Before going to a major change in your diet, first, learn how it works. Learn as much as you can about being vegan, that includes learning the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. You need to know its benefits that could help you get motivated on changing your lifestyle. Start reading blogs, articles, magazines, and forums about it. Watch documentaries or vlogs, and learn about it from people who are practicing the lifestyle. Start also to search for recipes and look for vegan products at your local grocery stores and market. Searching for vegan-friendly restaurants is
also a great thing to do. Cuz…you know, sometimes we tend to get lazy preparing our food. lol.

START TO INCLUDE VEGAN FOODS TO YOUR CURRENT DIET

Of course, it is not easy to transition your diet. So before jumping into being a vegan, it is wise to familiarize yourself with the food that you will soon be eating every day. Start to include more grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and tofu into your diet. 

Begin collecting and experimenting with vegan recipes that appeal to you and find a few different quick and easy vegan meals that you enjoy and get
comfortable preparing them. Try to replace milk (if you love milk) for a non-dairy alternative such as almond or soy. Experiment to find which you like best. I’ve drunk almond milk now for 15 years.

START PLANNING YOUR TRANSITION

Plan your work and work your plan, a quote from Napoleon Hill. Planning ahead is very important in everything you wanted to do. If you wanted to reach your goals you need to make a plan. Same with transitioning your diet. You need to plan ahead of time on how to change your diet in the most convenient way for you. You could try slowly transitioning from omnivore to vegan, or you could immediately jump to veganism. Whichever works for you, plan on how you would do the transitioning. 
Like slowly cutting all animal products from the easiest one that you could live a day without eating to the hardest one. Your plan should include
incremental change. If you eat only, say, a vegetable with dinner, begin by adding a second serving — how about fruit with breakfast? Once you’ve established that routine, add a third serving, maybe a salad at lunch. If you make the plan, you’re more likely to stick to it.
This is where you need to seriously think about what is going to work best for you. Far too often people shrug off the idea of veganism for fear of missing a particular food, or they try veganism but end up giving it up in its entirety for similar reasons.
This is often the result of jumping into veganism too quickly with too little preparation. That’s why it is so important to make the transition at a pace that works for you so that it’s sustainable.
There are plenty of ways to go vegan you just have to find what’s best for you. Find something that appeals to you and tailor it to your needs!

FIND AND REMEMBER YOUR MOTIVATION

We probably got the same or different reasons for transitioning our diets. It is important that we should always remember the reason why you are doing it. That will help to keep you motivated in continuing to stay firm and loyal to your vegan lifestyle (even though you are craving for a steak). If you have an initial reason for changing your diet, it is a great idea to find yourself more reasons to continue it. Just like finding out more about its great benefits to your body and health. Continue to give yourself a reason to motivate yourself.

BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT IT

It is important to keep a positive attitude. When you are starting to get bored with your current vegan recipes, try searching and experimenting with new ones! Think of all the new and delicious foods there are to try rather than thinking about the foods you’re giving up. If there is a certain dish that you miss eating so much, why not try to veganize it. You might be surprised that the dishes that you once love eating can be made vegan to meet your cravings. Always be excited about the good things that it will do your health and body!
And to give you more MOTIVATION and help you stay optimistic to start or continue transitioning your diet, here are some reasons why a vegan diet is good for your HEART HEALTH.

FRUITS AND VEGGIES LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

Study shows, people who ate more fruit had a lower risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure). In particular, eating blueberries, apples, pears, raisins, and grapes all had a beneficial impact on blood pressure.

REDUCES RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Researchers compiled the findings of 95 different studies and concluded that eating more fruits and vegetables daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Apples, pears, citrus fruits, and leafy greens all helped heart health.

SMALLER RISK OF CHRONIC HEART DISEASE

One large study found that people who ate more vegetables had a smaller risk of chronic heart disease; in fact, the more veggies they ate, the more their risk went down.

PLANTS INCREASES FIBER IN YOUR DIET

Fiber interacts with the bad cholesterol in your digestive tract and helps remove it more quickly from your body. This decreases the overall amount of bad cholesterol absorbed in your body. Fiber is found in foods like beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, so she recommends making healthy food swaps, like reducing or cutting meat out of chilli and adding beans to the pot instead.

Your resolve matters but don’t allow yourself to become overwhelmed. Adopting a vegan lifestyle isn’t necessarily difficult, but there is a learning curve. Don’t let yourself get caught up in trying to label yourself based on your diet. Take your time and enjoy the process!

As always, for more ideas, visit my Instagram account at http://Instagram.com/luxelife9,feel free to follow and engage with me there as well.