I'm a vegan which means I don't consume any animal products. Vegetarians avoid flesh foods, a vegans also reject the exploitation and abuse inherent in the making of dairy and egg products, as well as in clothing from animal sources. Some of the items I avoid: meat, milk, cheese, eggs, fur, leather, wool, down, and cosmetics and chemical products tested on animals.

Veganism, the natural extension of vegetarianism, is an integral component of a cruelty-free lifestyle. Living vegan provides numerous benefits: to animals and the quality of their lives, to the ecological integrity of our environment, and to myself, by protecting my body from the dietary problems associated with consumption of animal products.

The meat and dairy industry causes billions of chickens, cows, and other animals untold suffering in producing milk and egg products each year. The animals suffer unspeakable cruelties in order to maximize their output of milk and eggs. Most live their short lives caged, drugged, mutilated, and deprived. Today's farms are not like the ones most of us learned about in school; they are mechanized factories where animal welfare is of less concern than profit. Veganism emerges as the lifestyle most consistent with the philosophy that animals are not ours to use!

Animal agriculture takes a devastating toll on the earth. It is an inefficient way of producing food, which squanders the vast majority of all grain grown in the U.S., as well as much of our water. This increased dependence on high yields exacerbates the problem of topsoil erosion on our farmlands, rendering land less and less productive for crop cultivation, and forcing the conversion of wilderness lands to grazing and farm lands. Animal waste is a disposal problem on today's massive feedlots and factory farms, poisoning groundwater and rivers; and the disastrous effects of cattle ranching have degraded thousands of acres in every western state.

Consumption of animal fats and proteins has been linked to heart disease, colon and breast cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, and a whole host of other debilitating conditions. Vegan foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans, are low in fat, especially saturated fat, contain no cholesterol, and are rich in fiber and nutrients. Plus, vegans get the perfect amount of protein. Cows' milk contains ideal amounts of fat and protein for young calves, but far too much for humans! Eating eggs may be the surest way to get a heart attack, as they are higher in cholesterol than any other food.