The top 5 resources to help you go vegan

Every day you hear how important it is to exercise to get in shape, and I know I'm seeing lots of people enjoying the outdoors in the gorgeous spring weather.  But while exercise is vital to health, it’s only half the equation when it comes to becoming healthy, getting fit and staying in shape.  You also need to focus equally on what goes into your body.  Every day, people are making the choice to go vegan for their health, and they are discovering the myriad benefits not only to themselves, but to the animals and environment as well.  So if you want to give veganism a try, here are the top five resources that will help you get started (and they’re all free!).


21-Day Vegan Kickstart: The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, a very reputable resource-based organization, has developed a 21-day plan to help with the transition to veganism.  They offer a detailed, day-by-day meal plan, a daily message, nutrition webcasts, tips from celebrities, a community forum, and other useful supports to help you in your transition.


VegWeb: This website has recipes for every possible food you can imagine and even more that you can’t.  There are over 15,000 recipes that you can search by category, and each one has ratings from people who’ve made the dish and feedback.  If you think vegans eat only salad, some time browsing on this site will change your mind.


VegNews: This is the top magazine for the vegan community.  It  has its own vegan starter kit, and it also provides the latest news in vegan products and issues from travel to recipes and everything in between.  It also has a robust website.  The current issue is focused on vegan men, so pick it up for yourself or the men in your life!


Forks Over Knives and Vegucated: If you love film (and even if you don’t), both of these documentaries set out a very compelling foundation for the reasons behind a plant-based diet.  Forks Over Knives is completely based around the nutritional aspects of veganism as told by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., two of the foremost experts on the subject.  Vegucated follows three New Yorkers who answered an ad to try veganism for six weeks and documents their experiences. 


Happycow.net: You probably won’t want to cook all of your meals, and happycow.net can find vegan or veg-friendly restaurants near you.  They have a global directory of restaurants and health-food stores with information on the types of food you’ll find, directions, hours, and more.  You may discover vegan or veg-friendly resources near you that you never considered.


As you discover more about veganism, you’ll find your favorite resources.  You’ll soon see and feel the benefits and maybe even inspire your friends and family to become vegan too.  And who could ask for a better start to spring?