Mother's Day is sometimes difficult for me. My bio-mother, a marvelous woman who spoke five languages, taught school and classical piano, died on Mother's Day from breast cancer when I was around 14 years old. Devastating on so many levels, this event led directly to my becoming vegetarian and, ultimately, vegan. I spent years researching (no Internet then, kids) cancer and very quickly came to the conclusion that there was a direct connection between cancer and diet (thank you Gary Null for the first clues). I got ridiculed by some family members and laughed at by so-called experts.
My research led me to experiment on myself: let's go veg and see what happens to my mind, body, and soul (having read about so many great sages in history being veg). My first two attempts failed, miserably. Didn't know how to do it right. My third, with some guidance from the veg wife of my karate tutor, was a tremendous success. The increased energy, the lack of getting sick since then (well, two colds in two decades+), and general vitality told me what I needed to know. It works; it's right.
How wonderful over the years to see now that so many people (and scientists, and nutritionists) have figured it out as well. Meat is dangerous, unethical, unsustainable, unwise (and, I believe, much more so is dairy)....
GO VEGAN!
Happy Mother's Day, Mom... I'm sure you'd understand and approve.
I'm sorry for the loss of your mother.
I lost my oldest brother 4 years ago to cancer.
I too became vegan after he died.
I completely agree with you regarding the correlation between diet and cancer.
Some of my family members have also laughed at me and ridiculed me for being vegan.
But I know that what I'm doing is the right thing to do for my health and to honor my brother.
Posted by: VeganTickles | 2008.05.11 at 22:21