You’ve decide to become vegan, now what? If you are switching from a vegetarian diet, or going vegan cold tofu it’s helpful to have support while adopting a new lifestyle. What you can and can’t eat can be confusing. What you should eat to balance your diet, like getting enough Omega-3’s and B12, can at times get overwhelming to a new vegan. Dealing with the constant barrage of “where do you get your protein?” and “where do you get your iron?” can be maddening. A diet that includes no animal products is literally uncharted territory for many people. Many omnivores are faced with feeling that they could never stop eating meat, while many vegetarians think it will be impossible or too restrictive to cut out dairy and eggs. Like all things in life, when you try something new you often need help.

There are many places that a person exploring a vegan diet and lifestyle can turn for support. Many wonderful websites, blogs, podcasts and books are available to teach you the ropes, provide you with support, and educate you on all of the issues surrounding veganism. In addition, there is a wonderfully compassionate community of fellow vegans who are always ready and willing with any advice or information they can provide. But how do you find the support you need?

The fastest and easiest way to find information these days is to turn to the Internet. The website for Vegan Action (http://www.vegan.org) is a good place to start. Vegan Action is a not for profit group dedicated to educating the public about the benefits of a vegan lifestyle for the animals, the environment and human health. Another great site is the Vegetarian Resource Group (http://www.vrg.org). The VRG advocates a vegan diet, and most of the information found on their site pertains to veganism. You can find recipes, nutrition information and also a handy guide to deciphering food ingredient labels. Vegan Outreach hosts a site specifically for vegan health (http://www.veganhealth.org). A registered dietitian maintains this site; here you can find almost anything you need to know regarding a healthy vegan diet.

Another popular source for finding support is through blogs. There are many wonderful vegan cooking blogs out there. One popular vegan blog is the Happy Herbivore. Lindsay, the Happy Herbivore, is dedicated to creating healthy, low fat recipes that are not only nutritious, but delicious as well. She is also interested in helping the public understand the importance of a vegan lifestyle. Eat, Drink and Be Vegan is another wonderful resource for vegan recipes and support. Created by Dreena Burton, author of several vegan cookbooks, Eat, Drink and Be Vegan is creative and informative. Dreena is also a columnist for True/Slant where she shares recipes and other information regarding a vegan lifestyle. With micro-blogging on Twitter becoming more popular you can even find advice, support and fellow vegans there. If you are thinking of becoming vegan or struggling with your vegan diet add #veganhelp to your tweets and a community of vegans following @veganhelp will quickly respond to you.

Podcasts are another great option for vegans looking for support and information. Both the Vegetarian Food for Thought podcast and the Vegan Freak podcast have episodes dedicated to those just going vegan, as well as to those seeking support to continue a vegan diet.

Then of course there are books. Two great books for those seeking support and information when adopting a vegan diet and lifestyle are Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina and Vegan Freaks by Bob and Jenna Torres. Both of these books cover information regarding why to go vegan, how to go vegan, and dispel popular myths surrounding the vegan diet.

Finally, when looking for support nothing beats finding local vegans in your community. Currently Louisville does not have a vegan or vegetarian meet-up group. Consider starting a group in your community. EarthSave Louisville hosts a vegetarian potluck on the second Saturday of every month. EarthSave is an organization dedicated to informing and educating people about the impact our food choices have on the environment. Following the monthly potluck there is a program covering an environmental topic (in September the impact of over fishing on the oceans will be discussed and the trailer for The Cove will be viewed). At the end of the evening is an opportunity to mix and mingle and meet fellow vegans. The next EarthSave potluck will be Saturday, September 12 from 6-8 pm at St. Paul’s Methodist Church (across the street from Heine’s on Bardstown Rd. and Douglass Blvd). The cost is $1.00 with a dish and $6.00 without.

There are a number of great resources available to anyone wishing to adopt and continue a vegan diet. Take the time to find support, validation, and community and you will be well on your way to a lifestyle that is beneficial to your health, the environment and the animals.

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