Going Meatless with Kristie Middleton (vegan) - Transforming the Way You Eat and Live, Part 4 of 4

In her book, Kristie shares tips and tricks to help people shift to the healthy, environmentally friendly vegan lifestyle. "I have a lot of tips and tricks for encouraging people to be able to stick with their intentions. And the first is to decide what it is that you're trying to do. So, maybe it's by doing something like a Meatless Monday. Another is to set a goal and articulate that goal. Another is to narrow down our options. The last is just to be gentle with yourself. Sometimes we will fall off the wagon, but it's really easy just to get right back on."

According to David Simon’s book “Meatonomics,” the US government spends $38 billion each year to subsidize the meat and dairy industries, but only 0.04% of that to subsidize fruits and vegetables. "I think that we are seeing too many government subsidies that are being given to factory farms. And as a result of that, those foods are artificially less expensive than they should be."

The market research firm, MarketsandMarkets, predicts that global sales of vegan meat alternatives could increase to US$8.3 billion by 2025. " We are seeing “meat-free” eating take on like no other time in history. Right now, we are seeing more than half of (the) people in the United States saying that they want to eat more plant-based food. It's happening globally as well. I follow entrepreneurship and I see more companies popping up all over the world, whether they're plant-based meat, eggs or dairy."

"I've been vegan for twenty-plus years, and it's been the best decision that I have made in my life. And as our friend, Ken Chadwick from American University, said 'You have to just try it yourself. You won't know the benefits until you can actually experience them.' And it's not about perfection; it's about making progress."

Supreme Master Ching Hai frequently reminds us of the environmental, health, and lifesaving benefits of the vegan lifestyle. She also pointed out that, in a vegan world, the level of consciousness would automatically rise, creating a heaven-like atmosphere.