Famous Vegans - Kathy Freston

Kathy Freston

She is an American New York Times best-selling author. She concentrates on healthy living and conscious eating. She has appeared on The Oprah Show, Ellen, Dr. Oz, The View, Good Morning America and CBS's the Early Show. She has been featured in numerous magazines and is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post. You can check out her website Kathy Freston - Healthy Living, Conscious Eating.

She promotes a body, mind and spirit approach to health and happiness, where she focuses on a healthy diet, emotional introspection, spiritual practice and loving relationships. Her books include Quantum Wellness and Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World. You can check out her other books at this link.

In her book Quantum Wellness she suggests trying a 21-day cleanse as a way to jump-start an inner makeover. In 2008, Oprah Winfrey decided to give it a try. She eliminated all animal products, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and gluten from her diet for 21 days. Oprah wrote a special blog about her experience during those 21 days.

In February 2011, Kathy Freston was also a part of the One-Week Challenge, where Oprah and 378 of her staff members went on a vegan diet for one week. She provided tips for creating a feel-good vegan diet.

Quotes by Kathy Freston:

"For me, the purpose of my life is to become more open hearted and connected to life, to expand my awareness, care, and concern, and to reduce suffering wherever I can."

When asked why she became vegan, she answered:

"I was playing with my beloved dog Lhotse one day, and as I was rubbing her belly laughing at the smile on her face, I realized that she was no different than any other animals... it's just that I knew her. I was suddenly horrified to think I was eating animals who were just as lovely as her."

"As I began to understand what happens to animals as they become food, I had to ask myself: is my hankering for a piece of chicken or bacon worth the pain and fear that an animal goes through to become the meat at my table? I had this epiphany that in my soul, no, this doesn’t sit right with me. For me, it’s about finding my balance with delicious food while at the same time feeling spiritually true. I would rather opt for vegan food and know that my choices didn’t contribute to any fear, pain or suffering."

"I really think the vast majority of people simply have no idea what goes on with animals in the food industry."

"The farms that are responsible for almost all of the meat, dairy, and eggs produced in North America cram tens of thousands of animals into sheds that give them very little room for movement; they give the animals massive doses of drugs, which are focused both on growth promotion, and on keeping the animals alive in conditions that would otherwise kill vast numbers of them."

"A lot of people think it's going to be about eating a pile of veggies or salads. I so could not do that. I was raised in the South. I was raised on every kind of meat, and didn't think twice about it."

"I didn't want to give up the things I loved! So what I did - and what I recommend - is just to veganize your favorite meals. If you like spaghetti with meatballs, have the exact same pasta and sauce but use meatless meatballs instead. If you like burgers and hot dogs, just use the veggie versions instead. If chicken and mashed potatoes is your meal of choice, simply substitute Gardein Chik'n and make your mashed potatoes with nondairy milk and Earth Balance instead of butter. Once you realize that these foods are just as fulfilling as your old favorites, you'll see that this way of eating is actually quite doable."

"Cheese was the last thing to go. I thought I could not give up cheese, because I love it so much. My parents had cheese and crackers and a cocktail every night before dinner. I loved that ritual. So I started having guacamole and chips or pita and hummus every night. So I could have my ritual."

When asked about her favorite vegan snack, she answered:

"Where to begin?! For something hearty, I whip up a quick pizza ... just pour tomato sauce on a whole wheat pizza crust and sprinkle a bunch of vegan cheese (I like D aiya) on top; pop it in the toaster and I'm in heaven! For something sweet I make a root beer float with Zevia soda and some Purely Decadent Cherry Nirvana ice cream. Sigh."

She explains why she uses the term "veganist" instead of "vegan":

"I landed on the term "veganist" because the "ist" refers to "one who studies, or one who does"; so a veganist is someone who looks closely at his food choices and opts for a plant-based diet for reasons of health, concern for animals and the environment, and a sense of living consciously. A veganist is super interested in all the positive aspects of a vegan diet."

"If you care about cruelty to animals, and the problems associated with factory farming, you should know more about Farm Sanctuary, an organization that runs two sanctuaries for abused farm animals; it works on legislation, litigation and education to help all farm animals.

Take the case of Riley: This tiny seven-pound piglet was up for auction at a New York stockyard, meaning he was on his way to the average American dinner plate. He was so sick he couldn't stand. Incapacitated animals like Riley are called "downers," and they are frequent sights at auctions. Farm Sanctuary's Emergency Rescue Team stepped in, rushing him to a veterinary hospital. The stockyard's severe neglect left Riley blind in one eye, and with his head permanently tilted. Riley was fortunate to be saved by Farm Sanctuary, and he will never know cruelty or endure neglect again. But billions of farm animals are suffering everyday."

"while I certainly support efforts to decrease harm to animals on farms, I don't believe that there is any meat that is truly humane."

Quotes are from her 2011 interview with Elisa Camahort on BlogHer, her 2011 interview with Veggie Girl Power, her 2011 interview with Mercy for Animals, her 2011 Huffington Post article on Animal Cruelty, her 2011 Huffington Post article about Humane Meat and her 2011 interview with the Thinking Vegan.