Can't teach an old dog new tricks?

Profile of a new vegan: Jennifer McNeilly overcame 50 years of being blind to the truth. Here is her vegan story.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks, as the saying goes, but I'm an exemption to the rule!

For 50 something years I blindly guzzled down ALL animal products, being completely ignorant of the conditions these animals were kept in.

Thanks to clever truthseekers from various animal groups, who were brave and committed enough to expose the truth, I began to sit up and take notice!

Watching movies such as the infamous Earthlings and Forks over Knives spurred me into action. Eagerly I scanned the Internet for vegan recipes and vegan health information. This was a MAJOR change for me - I had lived "off the fat of the land" (animals) for a very long time.

I have NO friends who are vegan and it amazes me how often my dietary beliefs come up in conversation, especially when dining out. You have to work hard to stay true to the cause! You have to embarrass yourself by requesting no cheese, no butter or bacon etc, etc. You don't nominate yourself to be noticed (never been an exhibitionist) but inevitably you will be, because you are challenging a very staunch food system.

My husband comes from a long line of omnivores, but when I cook up a vegan storm in the kitchen, he is delighted to come to the party. Everybody is on their own food journey and I'm delighted to have found veganism.