By Mannely A. Goncalves
Contributing Writer

It is human nature to stick to things that are familiar to us. Besides, who really likes change anyway? Becoming a vegetarian is something that many of us have thought about. Some have considered making the transition, others have not, and the rest have decided to take the leap. People consider becoming a vegetarian for various reasons. Some choose it to have a longer and healthier lifestyle, to reduce pollution, to demonstrate their love of animals, and other reasons. From reading this, you will learn that many who have become vegetarians are happy they made the change.

As outlined by in the “Vegetarian Times” article, “Why Go Veg,” the health benefits of becoming a vegetarian are:

• “Less prone to chronic diseases and reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer”

• “Make it easier to keep your weight down”

• “Stronger bones”

• “Decrease your risk of food borne illnesses”

• “More energy”

• “Ease symptoms of menopause”

• “Help to reduce pollution”

• “Avoid toxic chemicals”

• “Help reduce famine”

• “Spare animals”

• “Save money”

• “A more colorful plate”

While reading the June 2014 copy of “Vegetarian Times” I came across a quotation from a reader named Emily Pyrek from La Crosse, Wisconsin: “I was always an animal lover, and decided the best way to honor animals was to follow the lead of my vegetarian father.”

Linda Perry, who some may know from her reality show “Make or Break: The Linda Perry Project” said, “It felt like the right thing to do energetically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I love life and every little creature in it. I can’t kill anything, even those pesky flies that hover around when you’re trying to eat.”

Matt Frazier, writer of “No Meat Athlete,” a blog started to share his personal journey to becoming a vegetarian athlete, listed 75 ways going vegetarian has made his life better. Some of the ways include: learning to appreciate healthier foods such kale, collards, lentils, quinoa, bulgur, and okra, losing body fat without trying, running a faster 5K; and sleeping better at night because he isn’t bloated and full of animal parts. He also mentioned when he went to the dentist after a 10-year hiatus, the dentist attributed the cleanliness of his teeth to raw fruits and vegetables.

Becoming a vegetarian provides one with countless long-term health benefits. It is worthwhile to consider making the transition. There are numerous resources such as blogs, magazines, and newspapers dedicated to makeing the change easier—so have no fear, because the greens are here.