About Vegan-Diet-Success.com
My name is Maggie Quirk, and I’m the owner and author of Vegan-Diet-Success.com. I share everything I know about diet and living a compassionate life.
I created this site to help others discover what they want out of life, and to learn how to get it. My secret has always been the vegan diet.
I was able to reclaim my life and others can too.
Here’s My Tale…
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I grew up in a college town in central Illinois. I first became a vegetarian when I was about ten years old, because a friend of mine did and it seemed like a pretty good idea.
In high school, I was an athlete, so I mistakenly thought it was important to eat high protein to replenish my strength. I ate a lot of fish, eggs, and dairy and never really contemplated the hypocrisy of my actions.
Even when I got a job at a pizza joint, and was eating a lot of cheese and veggie pizza myself, I was still able to maintain high levels of health.
That was until sometime in college...
The added stress and the lack of exercise that came with it deteriorated my health and wellbeing.
Not to mention, I ate to make myself feel better. I ate fried fish almost every day, and eventually slipped into eating chicken, junk food, and occasionally beef. My health started to fail me at this point.
Things got worse than I ever would have dreamed…
In Sickness and in Health
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My body started to fail me, in a serious way. Not only did I have to lay down from exhaustion after almost every meal, I developed allergic reactions to everything, it seemed.
At the time, I didn’t know it, but I was allergic to gluten, artificial sugars, sensitive to fat, and possibly more…
I dropped 20 pounds over the course of several months and could barely eat without excruciating pain in my stomach. I actually thought I might die.
This was the hardest time in my life. I would force myself to drink energy drinks and focus on school, even though it felt like the contents of my intestines were leaking out in an acidic mess.
I eventually realized that my suffering was connected to diet. It took me a year and a half of experimenting to finally get it right.
Looking back, I am grateful that this time inspired me to do a 180 with my diet, and to feel more empathy for others who are sick.
Going vegan is essential for me, because the food is so light and easy to digest. My life has turned around completely, and it’s even better than before.
With more focus and energy, I greatly improved my performance in school. I snagged a great job, even in the down economy. I moved to “Beautiful British Columbia” in Canada, and now enjoy the constant fresh ocean breezes and no longer have to put up with Midwestern winters.
My relationship with my loved ones has improved, since I am rarely tired or crabby. So has my relationship with myself. I feel a peace and satisfaction that I had never known before.
Building This Website…
In my spare time I work on this website.
I started my own website because I wanted to contribute. Sharing information about the vegan diet is one of the ways I could make the most difference. Over the years I have spent thousands of hours reading about diet and veganism.
In my search for answers I have scoured online forums and followed the top authors and researchers in the field.
In the articles here I try to convey everything I’ve learned in my many years a health enthusiast. I’ve read opinions from many perspectives, and finally came to an equilibrium that I believe in strongly myself.
I think that everyone could benefit from a vegan diet, or at least, adding more plant foods every day.
Building this website is making me a more patient and giving person, for which I am grateful. I also appreciate the support of my mentor, Dave Smith, who has helped me plan for the big picture as my site continues to grow.
Whether you are thinking about changing your diet, or you already have, there is a bright future ahead for you. Please feel free to contact me with comments on my site or questions that you have throughout your journey.
