In last Friday's episode of #MakeFitHappen, we had an awesome discussion with Korina Esteban of Manila Vegans, one of the first vegan advocacy Facebook groups in the Philippines, with 50K active and supportive followers.
The vegan lifestyle, is more than just about health - it is about the ethical treatment of animals. It condemns, all forms of animal cruelty, as we live alongside them on this planet.
This lifestyle happens to have a positive impact on our health and the environment. The excessive consumption of meat, has been linked allegedly to incresead health risks such as high cholesterol, heart disease and obesity.
In addition, the raising of animals for consumption has been said to be a contributing factor to the degradation of the planet. According to some reaserch, raising livestocks consumes so much water and power that it depletes natural resources. It is also said to produce so much waste, that it contributes to the production of greenhouse gases that speeds up global warming. Further, it takes a lot of space, that could other wise be used for other activities such as agriculture and farming.
Throughout the years, we have seen this movement get more traction, globally, and the Philippines isn't lagging either. More advocacy groups have taken a more active role. Big establishments have also in the years introduced vegan options in their menu, such as McDonald's, Shakey's Philippines, Burger King, and the likes giving people more option to pursue this lifestyle. In addition, a lot of research, has given rise to the production of plant-based food products, that are of meat-like quality and nutritional value that makes this lifestyle change to a more healthy, plant-based, animal-friendly, and ecologically-sustainable lifestyle more realistic and accessible to a lot of people.
Are you ready to make this shift? How easy is it to be a vegan in your local community? Let us know your thoughts on the vegan lifestyle!