I’ll never forget the day I decided to give up animal products. Eating paleo is about clean eating, meaning no chemicals and no processed foods. I became very keen on reading labels and learning what was actually in our food. More and more I would read about tainted meat and I started to question if I’d be better and healthier without it, so I decided to try vegetarianism.

It was the end of summer and my girlfriends and I planned a beach day. Kate shows up at my house first and I proudly tell her I’m on day 2 with no meat and, “it’s not bad at all!” She nonchalantly questions if I’ve ever seen “Meet your Meat” and proceeds to put it on.

I’ve always considered myself an animal lover but what I saw next was some of the most horrific realities I could’ve ever imagined. By the time Tina showed up I was clenching my dogs, one in each arm, and I was hysterically crying. She slammed the computer shut and yelled at Kate for showing me that. It was at that moment I knew I couldn’t contribute to that horror anymore. It was that moment I knew vegan was the only way for me.

I sat on the beach downloading every vegan app I could find, ordered books, and read articles. My journey down this wormhole began and I cant thank Kate enough for opening my eyes to this, even if she does still eat meat.