Hi! My name's Rachael (rah-shell). My vegan journey started at the beginning of 2015 when I really wanted to do something about my health. As a 20-something, you may ask "what could possibly be wrong with your health at such a young age?" I was diagnosed with lupus at age 16 and on medications to treat it since then. There is no cure for lupus but with the right medications, you can treat it into remission (more on that in a bit). I began watching documentaries on YouTube over the next couple of months.
Then I stumbled onto Earthlings. You probably know how it goes from there. I went vegetarian - for the second time - overnight. I continued to eat eggs and cheese over the next week before I quit it all cold turkey...is that a vegan expression? ;)
I was a poor student in Boston at that time so my only real choice was walking a mile every week to Trader Joe's. My first job was a little closer to home, so I moved back for 10 months before moving again to where I am now - Iowa, or as I like to call it "meat and milk country". Not only is Iowa known for its corn, but also as one of the biggest pork producers in the country.
Due to the nature of my job here, I am somewhat in the public eye. I want to use my platform to show that if I - someone who once cried when Burger King brought back chicken fries - can be a vegan, anyone can. It's healthy, good for the planet and can be good for your wallet, hence the hashtag #brokeblackvegan that I use from time to time.
I'm not one of those girls on YouTube that shed an entire person going vegan. Quite the opposite. I've gained weight trying to figure it out. I'm Caribbean so I love starches and salt (though that may not be the ideal combination for my body), however, its all about finding out what works for you. But something has been working for me as I've received word from my doctor that lupus hasn't been active in my body!
If I can help just one other person heal themselves or feel better about themselves through this way of life, then I feel I have succeeded. Be well. Be vegan.
Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachaelPeartWX/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachaelJPeart
Website: http://www.rachaelpeart.com/
Blog: https://rachaelpeart.wordpress.com/
