Vegan lifestyle articles that discuss ways of living in peace with humans, animals, and the environment.
BlackVegansRock.com
January 2018
Oftentimes people are surprised that I am a vegan since I don’t 'look' like one.
I went vegan a year and a half ago in 2016 after meeting some very
influential people. They had been living a vegan lifestyle for a number of
decades and looked amazing. The amount of energy and vitality these people
had inspired me. Learning about people like Dick Gregory who was well into
his 80’s and healthy started to wake me up. One of the key phrases that
resonated most with me was “Is your body a garden or a graveyard?” I started
to look around at my community, and all the stereotypes associated with our
health. As I did my research I found that illnesses like high blood pressure
and diabetes were not hereditary, but were directly linked to the “slave
food” a lot of our people had been fed. Due to this I went vegan cold turkey
(pun intended).
Before I made the transition, I assumed that most vegans were skinny.
However since my drive to go vegan was so strong, I was okay with no longer
having muscles since the change was for my health. Once I made the
transition, I learned about vegan bodybuilders, athletes, and NFL players,
and it really expanded my horizons. It showed me that I could indeed
maintain my size and even grow! Since the transition, some of the health
benefits I’ve noticed have been: awaking with more energy, faster recovery
times after workouts, elimination of joint and knee pain, increased
strength, and a stronger immune system to name a few.
Oftentimes people are surprised that I am a vegan since I don’t “look” like
one. When I walk into a restaurant, I typically receive the “Who is this
buff black man” look and they assume I’m there to simply use the restroom. I
like to wear vegan apparel to show that Black Vegans do exist. I’m okay with
not fitting into any preconceived “Vegan” look. I started @VeganHotep a few
months ago after being asked many questions in regards to my fitness and
diet. Through that avenue I’ve received numerous messages from people who
I’ve inspired and are taking steps towards healthy living. The coolest
surprise has been seeing family and friends switch over to a vegan lifestyle
as well.
I reside in Los Angeles with my wife, after relocating from Brooklyn NY, and
have a career in Finance.
Instagram: @VeganHotep
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