DIET SWAP

Hannah's Blog

Why am I a vegan?

I am Hannah, a mum, wife, psychiatrist, proud Londoner and yes- I am a VEGAN!

I became vegan on January 1st, 2020, after promising my son that we could try Veganuary.

Prior to that day, I ate everything – steak, cheese, prawns, bacon, eggs – the whole damn lot!

When my son asked if we could try Veganuary my initial response was “absolutely not, it will be such a faff” but then I started to read up on the reasons why he wanted to do it.

My son was 15 at the time and already a passionate climate activist, terrified about the survival of the planet and its inhabitants. He introduced me to Greta Thunberg and various documentaries which I watched with interest. I did my own research about the climate impacts of eating animal products and the way that livestock are intensively farmed.

I looked into the health benefits of animal products versus non animal products and realised that as long as you spend a little bit of time planning your meals and try not to rely on processed vegan alternatives you can absolutely live a healthy (and I would now argue, healthier) life as a vegan.

So, we did Veganuary, and it was pretty easy to be honest. Yes, I miss cheese and yes, vegan cheese is disgusting but I have found alternatives to get that cheesy taste (Arun, you are going to have to develop a loving relationship with NOOCH!).

In fact, it was so easy that we decided to continue. Going vegan felt like an incredibly small sacrifice to make to be able to reduce my carbon footprint.

I started to notice health benefits from eating a plant-based diet including grains, pulses, vegetables, nuts. My skin looked better, I slept better, My exercise tolerance improved and I felt better about myself (that bit is probably the smug vegan glow!)

Questions people always ask me are:

But where do you get your protein? (you don’t need as much protein as social media would have you believe but I get plenty from tofu, nuts, seeds and pulses)

Aren’t you worried about becoming anaemic? (I’m actually less anaemic now than I was when I ate everything. Probably because I pay more attention to my diet than I did before)

Why do vegans eat fake meat? (Because I actually used to like meat, I’m a vegan to reduce my carbon footprint).

In summary, I think that being a vegan is easy and a lot of fun. There are soo many vegan options in restaurants and so many ways to make your meals at home exciting and tasty. I’m doing this swap for 2 reasons:

1. To convince Arun to reduce his carbon footprint long term

2. To raise money for the fantastic charity FareShareUK

Arun's Blog

The 'Pacha' Crusade: A global movement called the Green Crusade emerged, advocating for veganism as the ultimate solution to climate change. Armed with data on the environmental impact of animal agriculture, its leaders launched an ambitious campaign to promote plant-based living worldwide. While their intentions appeared noble, their methods revealed a darker side. The 'Pacha' Crusaders framed their mission as a moral obligation, aiming to spread veganism to every corner of the globe. They targeted Indigenous communities with particular fervor, viewing traditional diets that included hunting and fishing as outdated and barbaric. In their zeal, they overlooked these communities' deep cultural and spiritual connections to their food systems. The efforts of the Crusaders went beyond just food systems; they aimed to completely reshape Indigenous cultures. They promoted a universalistic ethic that erased diversity in favor of a singular moral vision. Traditional hunting festivals were banned and replaced with vegan fairs showcasing lab-grown meat alternatives. Indigenous children were taught in schools that their ancestors' practices were primitive, further distancing them from their heritage. Ironically, in their quest to eliminate speciesism, the Crusaders perpetuated colonial hierarchies. They failed to realize that forcing veganism on others without understanding local contexts mirrored the very imperialist attitudes they claimed to oppose. The campaign quickly escalated into what critics referred to as "green colonialism." The Crusaders lobbied governments to ban traditional hunting practices and seized ancestral lands to establish massive plant-based agriculture zones. These zones were promoted as "climate-friendly," but they displaced Indigenous peoples and destroyed local ecosystems. The monocultures required for large-scale soy production drained water supplies and left the soil barren. The Kurava resisted. Elders like Mani spoke passionately about how their way of life was not just about sustenance but also about their identity. "You call us uncivilized," she told a Crusader leader, "but you do not see how your soy fields destroy more than they save." Unfortunately, her words went unheard.One such community was the Kurava, whose survival depended on cattle herding. For generations, they had lived in harmony with the land, upholding a belief that "the cattle give us life, and we return it when we pass." However, to the Crusaders, this way of life was unacceptable. They arrived with promises of "modernity"—promoting synthetic protein factories and imported soy products—while deriding the Kurava's reliance on animals as cruel and uncivilized. Now, regarding my own journey, should I adopt a vegan lifestyle? My dear friend Hannah, whom I love, is not a green crusader. This is my story to open her eyes to both the allure of 'ribeyes' and the pitfalls of veganism

Walk a Mile in Someone Else’s… Stomach?

What happens when two people swap their shoes? They might understand each other’s journeys better. But what if they swapped… their diets? Well, things are about to get *very* interesting!

Meet Hannah and Arun: two passionate people with very different plates. Hannah is a proud vegan, fighting for the climate and a more beautiful world—armed with tofu and kale. Arun, on the other hand, eats anything that doesn’t bite back (and maybe even some things that do), all while also dreaming of a better world. They’re both on the same mission, but their menus couldn’t be more different.

**The Big Swap: April 2025**  

In a plot twist no one saw coming, Hannah and Arun are swapping their diets for an entire month! That’s right—Arun will go full vegan (goodbye bacon, hello lentils), while Hannah will venture into the world of meat and dairy (cheese lovers, rejoice). It’s not just about food—it’s about understanding each other’s choices, challenging themselves, and maybe learning a thing or two along the way.

**Why Are They Doing This?**  

- To bring you laughs (and probably some questionable cooking experiments).  

- To explore what their diet swap means for them, the planet, and the causes they care about.  

- And most importantly, to raise funds for **FareShare**, an incredible charity fighting food poverty and making sure no one goes hungry.

**How Can You Help?**  

- **Donate:** Every penny goes to FareShare because food poverty shouldn’t be on anyone’s menu.  

- **Follow Their Journey:** Expect hilarious updates, awkward food fails, and maybe even some science sprinkled in.  

- **Cheer Them On:** Whether you’re Team Kale or Team Bacon, your support will keep them going (even when Arun misses burgers or Hannah faces her first steak).

So, are you ready to join this epic adventure of empathy, eating habits, and a whole lot of fun? Donate now and let’s make sure everyone has a plate at the table—no matter what’s on it!