Why I went Vegan.....

My sister K had been going through a lot of medical problems over the years....from thyroid disease to not being able to keep certain foods down...mainly meat! Well her daughter had been a vegetarian since her early teens I believe, so not eating meat wasn't new in their house. After giving up meat and researching she gave up dairy as well....Or as Marilu H calls it: BOVINE SLIME.....Well K became so much healthier, happier, and skinny bitchier, that it made me go hmmmm! It wasn't until I found Marilu Henner's book Total Health Makeover at a thrift shop intending to give it to K that I seriously thought about it. I started reading the book and it further inspired me to give it a try. Even though Marilu promotes FOOD COMBINING which is a little difficult for the beginner I found it very informing and entertaining enough to keep me reading and researching. So, even though I am not a strict vegan, I am basically trying to eat as healthy as possible and maintain a healthy weight and enough energy and therefore sanity to get me through Nursing School ( instead of taking prozac!). I have continually maintained that if I get a BigMac attack.....look out McD's- here I come! But, so far I haven't had the craving- which I used to get rather frequently....I had already given them up because of hereditary hypertension, but every once in a while........ATTACK! I don't miss dairy as much as I thought I would...the only thing that I haven't found a great substitute for is runny, melty, cheese for pizza or enchilada's....the vegan shreds just get crunchy! I'll keep looking though. Suggestions are very welcome!