From September to November in 2013, I went vegan. My mom and I had watched this documentary called Forks Over Knives. The documentary was informative and wasn’t set up to be political or in any way like PETA. It simply told about the health benefits of being a vegan. Then I thought to myself, “Why is ‘vegan’ so bad?” The host of the documentary went vegan for three months and saw massive improvements to his health. As a teen with an average of three migraines a month, I was willing to give up three months of my life to being vegan. But what I heard from others was very different.

I met with some friends and let one of the parents know I was being vegan. I meet every week to hang out and have fun with this group, so I was just making sure everyone knew and wouldn’t say, “OMG! You’re a vegan?!” after six or seven weeks. While he looked a little skeptical of my diet- he was squinting his eyes and looking at me like I was a little crazy- he accepted that it was my decision to try something healthier and was reassured when I told him how much food I was eating. However, a few of the girls yelled at me. They told me how dangerous it was for my health and called me stupid for even wanting to try. They felt as if I was trying to kill myself and destroy my body because I wouldn’t be getting enough nutrients to be healthy. I tried to let them know why I was doing it and what I was doing to be healthy, but they were convinced that I was simply a dumb blonde who didn’t know anything about food.

Over the next few weeks, many people reacted in the same way. Showing their confusion, distrust, and utter annoyance of my decision. It hurt me a lot that people would be angry with me for making a conscious effort to be a little healthier. It wasn’t like I was about to shove my views down their throat, I just wanted to keep them updated in what was going on in my life. I don’t have anything against what others eat. If you would like to eat a bacon cheese burger, you may do so! I’m not offended by what others choose to eat, I simply will not eat those foods.

The only people who initially accepted my decision were my mother and my best friend, a vegetarian. She was so excited that she could finally have dinner at my house! But even she was upset with my choice, only her reasoning was that she couldn’t bake for me- eggs and milk in many recipes. My family was cool with it because they knew my mom would take care of meals and keep me alive. They would tease me and ask me if I wanted chicken or if I wanted to go with them to In’n’Out.

Later, when people were ready to accept what I had to say, it was very rewarding. Some people were upset for my sake, and others were upset because they didn’t want another animal rights spewing zealot screaming at what they were eating. Many of the people who were concerned for me influenced the steps I took to ensure I was getting everything I need, including taking a supplement that was strictly meant for helping brain function and development. Perhaps everyone can simply be a little more accepting of the choices of others. That doesn’t mean everyone must agree with one another, but keeping an open mind of others. So, why is vegan so bad? It’s not, if you are open to accept.