This month, Andrea Rymer chats to Theresa Murphy about how going plant-based had a positive effect on her health and wellbeing
Real life
Theresa Murphy is a Fundraising and Partnerships Assistant for The Vegan Society. Originally from San Diego, Theresa has experienced living vegan in both the US and the UK, claiming that California is “super progressive for vegans”, but feels the UK is currently leading the way. In this article, Theresa breaks down her reasons for going vegan and what changes she has experienced, from gut to skin health.
When did you go vegan and why?
“I became vegan nearly seven years ago and the main reason was due to becoming increasingly aware of the effect my lifestyle was having on the environment, my health and animals,” she tells us. “I am an Environmental Sustainability graduate, and I was becoming increasingly aware that eating meat is incredibly carbon intensive, not to mention the level of cruelty involved in animal agriculture. It was hard learning about the treatment of animals in the meat and dairy industries and I could not contribute to it any longer. It just made sense!”
Theresa’s reasons for going vegan are common, and we are becoming more consciously aware of where our food comes from. Research shows that more and more UK households are replacing meat with vegan or vegetarian alternatives, with 40 per cent making these choices to improve their health and 31 per cent choosing to make the switch for planetary health.
What have been the most significant changes in your eating patterns since going vegan?
“I am more conscious of what I put into my body, and intentionally eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables every day. I read ingredients and nutrition information to help ensure I am getting a varied diet and am also more creative in the kitchen with trying new recipes.
“I also don’t feel overstuffed after a meal and tend to graze more – meaning I eat smaller meals, but snack more often on things like nuts, fruit and houmous.”
Veganism creates an opportunity to explore new foods and experiment with different flavours and ingredients. Eating a variety of plants is great for our health, as research suggests eating plenty of fibre-rich foods on a daily basis is the route to developing a diverse gut flora, important for healthy digestion and enhancing our immune system.
Eating little and often is also a good option for some to meet their energy needs. Many plant proteins will contain less calories than animal proteins, and so it is an opportunity to eat larger port
