"Why I went vegan at 40 – and how it transformed my energy levels"

From prima.co.uk/diet-and-health

Claire Ruston, now 44, explains what happened when she became vegan in midlife (including a whole new career) 

"'I could never give up cheese...'

"That was me, five years ago. I'd never met a cheese I didn't like – even if it came in foil triangles. I'd tiptoed towards vegetarianism for many years, reducing my meat intake but never officially taking the plunge (the barbecue ribs always got me). I’d even floated the idea of going vegan a few times, whenever my partner Rob and I would watch the latest documentary about factory farming. But I always talked myself out of it.

"In the end, it wasn’t a hard-hitting exposé that prompted the change. It was a bout of Covid that left me feeling not quite myself. I was keen to get back to full health and frustrated it was taking so long. Then I happened to watch The Game Changers, a documentary about the impact of a vegan diet on athletes’ strength and recovery.

"At first, we didn’t picture ourselves going strict vegan."

"‘It’s worth a try,’ I said to Rob. He was sceptical but agreed, ‘Let’s give it a shot.’

"We were already used to taking on challenges. We moved from the UK to Bulgaria together in 2011, bought a run-down house in the mountains and spent years renovating it. We immersed ourselves in local life and adjusted to living in a village, where the nearest supermarket is a 50-mile round trip.

"At first, we didn’t picture ourselves going strict vegan. The plan was to eat a plant-based diet during the week and perhaps indulge in a bit of dairy – cheese, obviously – on the weekends. But we loved our vegan weekday meals. I felt more creative in the kitchen, learning how to make a creamy dressing with tahini or a rich pasta sauce from roasted squash.

                                                                                                                                  Claire Ruston

"There were kitchen disasters, of course. My first vegan pancakes were terrible and I’ve made my fair share of disappointing vegan cakes. I quickly learned to read the comments on recipes online and seek out food writers I trust, such as Nisha Vora, Yotam Ottolenghi, Hetty Lui McKinnon and Joe Yonan. The benefits were obvious. I had more energy and felt healthier by the week. If I indulged in a dairy-heavy dish, I’d feel sick and have an upset stomach.

"Very quickly, cheesy ‘treats’ stopped being treats at all. I also noticed that my asthma was worse after eating dairy.

"Almost by accident, I’d become vegan. If there’s a stereotypical image of a vegan, I’m pretty sure I’m not it. I’m middle-aged and I couldn’t give a stuff about protein powder shakes. But here I am, living my best plant-based life.

" I had more energy and felt healthier by the week."

"Do I miss cheese? Sometimes, especially if I see a picture of an oozing brie. But I don’t miss it enough to eat it.

"Friends and family have been supportive. When I fly home, Mum cooks me a vegan roast dinner with veggie sausages. I don’t mind people eating meat around me – I ate meat for 39 years – but I draw the line at cooking bacon sandwiches for guests!

"People tend to view veganism through the lens of ‘giving up’ foods. But I have gained far more than I’ve given up. I eat a more varied diet than ever and, most importantly, it has reignited my passion for food. It’s even led to a new career.

"After years of blogging about life in Bulgaria, I began writing more and more about food. When I won the Guild of Food Writers Newcomer Award in 2023, it encouraged me to properly pursue food writing as a career. I now write about plant-based eating and growing my own food at auntiebulgaria.substack.com.

"I’m not out to convert anyone. But I do enjoy sharing my journey, and if it encourages a few people to eat a few more plants, then that’s great."

https://www.prima.co.uk/diet-and-health/diet-plans/a64069323/vegan-at-40-transformed-energy-levels/