My adventure to becoming vegetarian and then vegan has been a wonderful experience. It all started when I was 14 and I had just met the love of my life, John. He used to take me to Whole Foods Market and Glaser Market all the time. I just didn't know what to do with all the new food I had never seen before. I always respected that he was a vegetarian, and I tried as much as I could NOT to eat dead flesh.

I was in a totally different environment, meeting wonderful vegetarian, vegans, and even raw people that had this shimmering light around them filled with peace, joy, and happiness. At that time, I was lacking all of that. I always felt held down, tired, and in a horrible mood. Weeks and weeks passed by and after talking with these great people about being vegetarian, I knew it was time to improve my life, no longer eat dead flesh from harmless animals, and feel great about what I ate.

September 21, 2001, was the day I totally changed my life and became a good, respectful human. I remember sitting at my mother's table getting ready to eat. I had already made up my mind I was going vegetarian. I was truly scared what my mom would say that night when I told her I was NOT eating her meatballs and pasta and that I only wanted plain pasta with salad. Surprisingly, when she brought my plate and I refused to eat it, she respected my decision. From that moment on I knew it was all going to be easy.

Months and months went by, and I was high on life. Colors were brighter. I was in better moods. I simply felt divine. I was loving and enjoying every second. I had real conversations with the new and wonderful people in my life and shared my experiences with them. During this time, yoga swept into my life, and it also made a huge difference. Sometime in October of 2004, John decided he was going to take a huge step and go raw! I knew right then and there I also needed to take a step and be vegan while eating all organic foods.

Being vegan and 100% organic was better than I could ever imagine. John and I started working at a wonderful and loving place called Sunshine & Aj's "Food Without Fire," a raw restaurant in South Beach. We worked there for a whole summer and the experience changed my life even more. Every time I ate their pure and wonderful food, I would smile, thank God, and thank them for being the best chefs on earth.

I still feel like I need more. I want to be as natural as possible. So I have tried my best to do that. I recently got dreadlocks which I love, and I try my best to buy as much natural clothing as I can along with cruelty-free, pure cosmetics and soaps. My life will change even more because I am going to Costa Rica on a raw food yoga retreat which will probably encourage me to take another step toward becoming raw!! I truly want to thank my love, John, for showing me this wonderful path, and my yoga teachers Fred, Venice, and Paul for showing me the path to yoga!!