My Vegan Experience

HAPPY THURSDAY LOVIES!

Hope you all are doing well.  No need for a long drawn out intro..let's jump right into the good stuff. 

So, as many of you know from my previous blogs.  I suffer from Stage 4 Endometriosis.  If you are unaware of what this is...I have a few blogs up about it.  You can check them out if you like.  (Shameless plug).  
Any who,  I have struggled with this disease since I was diagnosed at 14.  For years I have been searching for something, anything that can subdue the amount of pain that I endure on a day to day basis.  So back in late June..I made the decision to go Vegan.  Before, I get into that part, let me give you the other options that I considered before settling down on this journey.

• By definition veganism means you do not eat or use animal products.  They do not eat eggs, dairy products, meat, shellfish, fish, or anything with gelatin in  the ingredients.  
• By definition a vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons.However, unlike vegans they do eat eggs and dairy products.  
• And by definition a pescatarian is a person who does not eat meat BUT does eat fish.

Many things can cause your endometriosis to flare up.  From what you eat, to what you drink, to how often you exercise, to the medicines and vitamins that you take.  We all know that foods contain some pretty unhealthy ingredients in them.  And these ingredients don't always agree with the body.  Especially, when you suffer from endo.  Meats cause inflammation in the body.  Along with sugars, gluten, caffeine and lot of other things.  All of these things are terrible for a person who suffers from endo.

So, in late June I decided to practice a vegan lifestyle.  I decided on this option because I was not sure what exactly was causing my Endo to flare up and go nuts everyday.  For me, the only way for me to get to the bottom of it was for me to cut out everything with the exception of fruits, veggies, and gluten free foods. I cut out ALL meats, all dairy products, all gluten products, coffee, soda, junk food, grease, fried foods etc.  I only consumed fresh produce, beans, and rice.  I drank tons of water.  Especially lemon water.  I became obsessed with my lemon water.  If I drank juice it was 100% juice and I diluted the juice with water.  

Overall, I felt great.  A few weeks into this journey my cycle came.  Now typically, I DREAD shark week.  When you suffer from endo it's literally a month of excruciating pain. There's pre-shark week, shark week, and post shark week.  Yeah, it's totally a thing okay.  Pre-Shark week is simply the calm before the storm.  This is when you typically start to cramp and spot and your body lets you know that in a few days crap is about to hit the fan.  Shark week.....well....we all know what that consists of.  And post shark week is the week after shark week.  Where you experience a little spotting, maybe some discharge, pain, and your ovulation phase.  All 3 weeks are HORRIBLE for me.  BUT I noticed during these phases that they went by quick, fast, and most importantly PAIN FREE.  Of course, I thought it was a one time thing so I stayed on this path.  And here we are in September, dang near October and I have literally been in the least amount of pain that I have ever been in since I was diagnosed at 14 years old. 

Which brings me to today.  September 29, 2016.  I am NO longer eating a strict vegan diet.  Lets face it....I love my chicken BUT I do still practice many of the traits.  I eat meat; as well as, dairy products IN MODERATION. I still stay away from red meats' such as, pork and beef.  I eat chicken, turkey, and fish in moderation.  There are days when I crave meat and dairy and then there are days when it literally makes me sick to my stomach.  I still do not consume soda BUT I do drink coffee.  Again, in moderation.  I do not drink or consume these products DAILY but I do not deprive myself from them.  I am now in the post shark week phase and I am still pain free.  These past few months have been a breeze for me.  I have pretty much been pain free and that.....that is a blessing all in its own.  I am not 100% pain free.  I do cramp during pre shark week and post shark week.  On a scale of 1-10 I'm barely at a 4.  Which typically, I am over the 10 mark.  Missing work and in so much pain that I can't do anything but cry.  

I know you are all wondering...yes.  I lost weight.  A lot of weight some say.  I didn't go vegan for the weight loss though.  I did it mainly for my health.  I was tired of the pain and I was tired of letting endo run my life.  I took my life back and I look and feel amazing.  

The only downside to this journey for me was hair loss and hair thinning.  I am not sure of the correlation between the two BUT I do know that my hair started falling out BAD once I went vegan.  I am not sure if it has to do with cleaning my body from all of the bad toxins or what but I certainly noticed a drastic amount of hair loss and hair thinning throughout my journey.  Would I consider going vegan for life you ask?? Yes.  The results show for themselves. Going vegan was the best thing that I could have done for my endo and if veganism is what I have to do in order to remain pain free...then going without chicken, cheese, and my Malinda from Mugsy's is what I will have to do. So, I am currently in the process of cutting coffee, meats, and dairy products back out of my diet BUT this time...for good.  

I hope this was helpful to you guys!! 

Moeneak

Comfort is great BUT nothing ever grows there....

Hey Lovies!!!

Usually, I start the blogs with an apology due to my lack thereof, of putting out content. This time, I can't and I won't apologize. The break was needed. It was necessary and mandatory for me to take. My blogs contain A LOT of personal things about Moeneak. Not that I mind, because I made the conscious decision to have it that way BUT with that came with a lot of feedback. More positive than negative but nevertheless; feedback that I wasn't asking for nor looking to receive. 

My endometriosis blog and my divorce story were my largest viewed and shared blogs. And for that, I am forever thankful. I want people to know the importance and struggle that comes with living with endometriosis and I wanted people to know that if you're in a bad marriage, or any kind of situation that you don't want to be in that it's okay to remove yourself from that. 

My blogs started out with no direction. I just wanted a platform and a space to be free to have my thoughts and feelings on paper while sharing with the world a little positivity, love and light! Besides, there's already enough hate and negative energy in this world without me adding to it. I had many requests for natural hair information in which I didn't mind sharing. I love all things natural hair related. Then things took a turn when I was asked to be more transparent. And I started receiving emails asking about advice on different things. And I don't mind doing that either. 

My only objection is this is my platform. My space to be free. My space to be Moeneak and use my voice. And I won't be limited or told what I can and cannot say on my own platform. If you like what I put out and you want to stay and follow my journey then by all means, sit down, grab a snack and enjoy. Because, anything dealing with Moeneak is a journey. Lol. And if you find out that I'm just not your cup of tea and you want to leave...that's fine too. I often tell people....I am not for everyone. Nor do I want to be. 

At 1 month and some change shy of turning 30 years old, I am realizing now more than ever the importance of being surrounded by all things positive. All things growing, evolving and changing. 2016 was a rough year for me. More than ever. Some of the things and people that I LOVE the most were taken away from me in the blink of an eye. Family members died, friendships were shattered and unsalvageable, friendships were mended or so they appeared, my masks were removed and others as well, I learned Moeneak again. I freed myself from what the world and others thought and wanted me to be. I distanced myself from so called friends, coworkers, and basically the entire world. Lol. I surrounded myself around a small group consisting of 1 of my best friends (Tiana), my amazing fiancé (Vincent) and my family. ALL of them and got back to the basics. The basics of who I actually was. Not via what someone else wanted me to be. I needed a change. And I wanted a change. And a change I received. Often times, we have a plan and we've all heard about how my plans just don't work for my life. Lol. I've come to find out that the people and things that I thought I needed more than anything....I really didn't need at all. I'm doing just fine without them. I was comfortable with them. And comfort is a beautiful thing. The only problem is there's never any growth in comfort. Change requires you to get uncomfortable! So don't be afraid of it. Trust the journey. And trust your ending!! 

I love you!!! 

Moeneak😘